A New Romance in Sleepy Hollow
by seasidewriter1
Summary: This is based off of Tim Burton's movie. I honestly do not like the Ichabod/Katrina pairing. So I'm keeping the most of the movie plot the same, but I'm adding in a new character: a new love interest for Ichabod. Rated T for gore
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer__: I do not own Sleepy Hollow, the movie, or the original story, which was written by Washington Irving. I do not own the movie's characters. The only character I own is Artemesia._

Chapter One

October, 1799

The skies over New York City were grey and obscured by clouds. The late fall air had a chill to it as it lazily drifted about. The streets were mostly empty in the late morning.

One particular figure didn't mind the cold. He was dressed in all black besides his shirt, which was a pristine white. His thick dark brown, almost black, wavy hair was neatly combed, and trimmed well. He pulled his black woolen jacked tighter around himself. He slowly made his way down the street, taking in the surrounding area.

The man is Constable Ichabod Crane. Some of his colleagues called him squeamish, klutzy, a dreamer and probably many other things that he didn't wish to hear. He was also very sure his colleagues would rather have him dead then have him as a co-worker. They would also probably do anything to get rid of him.

Ichabod rounded a corner taking a deep breath of the fall air. He let out the breath in the form of a sigh. He had been told to patrol the streets and look out for trouble. As usual. Unfortunately all the trouble was in his head. A new millennium was about to begin; yet they were still using medieval torture devices, which is highly unjust.

He sighed again as he kept walking. No one shared his vision. He wished someone did. Since the chilly air was keeping most people inside, Ichabod's rounds were relatively boring, and that left him to his troubling thoughts. He turned and headed to the more busy part of the city. He hope the people would create distractions for him. He made it to the shop areas and found himself immediately enveloped in people. He watched a few couples walk along the street happily and watched as others ran around frantically.

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small book that he had been reading. He found his place and started to read and walk. He was able to read and walk affectively, till he rounded the corner of a building. He collided with another person and stumbled back as his book and a basket hit the ground. The wrapped contents of the basket spilled out.

" Oh! I am so sorry!" Ichabod said, bending over to place all of the baskets contents back inside.

" No, it was my fault! I wasn't looking ahead of me…" Said a fairly timid female voice. A pair of small, pale, female hands began to help his fairly large hands. He placed the items back into the basket and picked it up. The woman he ran into picked up his book. Both straightened up. The woman was wearing a dark blue coat with her hair loose around her face. He held out the basket, which she took. She gave the book back.

" It's a good book, by the way." She said with a small smile before walking off. Her light brown hair fluttered in the breeze as she walked away. He looked down at the book in his hands. His fingers were lightly gripping the leather covering of the book. He smiled slightly. He slid the book into his jacket. He slid the book into his jacket again and walked off.

oOo

When he returned home that night, all he wanted was sleep. He tossed his jacket carelessly over the railing of the staircase and sat on the stairs. He turned on an oil lamp and put his head in his hands. He felt like the whole world was turned against him. He had found a body floating in the water only an hour ago. The Burgomaster had put down his ideas again. In fact, he told him to take it to court. And he was going to. Again.

Ichabod knew he wasn't going to do well without proper sleep. He stood but spotted his book, which had fallen onto the floor. He picked it up. He remembered the small hands that had handed it back to him. He opened the cover and walked upstairs. He sat on his bed and began to read. He knew he needed sleep. But the book was calling.

It was late afternoon the next day. Ichabod was slowly walking down the street He was in a mix of shock and worry. This time, in court, he had a partial victory. But _only_ partial.

OOO

" The new millennium is almost upon us. In a few months, we will be living in the nineteenth century. But our courts continue to rely on medieval devices of torture." Ichabod said as he stood in the court before the High Constable, the Burgomaster and a room of people.

" Stand down!" Said the High Constable.

" I stand up!" Said Ichabod. " For sense and Justice." The burgomaster gave Ichabod a look of pure hatred and distaste.

" Constable Crane! This is a song we have heard from you more than once. Now, there are two courses open to me. The first, is to let you cool your heels in the cells until you learn respect for the dignity of my office…" The burgomaster suggested.

" I beg pardon. But why am I the only one who can see that to solve crimes, we must use our brains, assisted by reason, using up-to date scientific techniques?" Ichabod asked as he took a step forward.

" Which brings me to the second course." Continued the Burgomaster. " There is a town, two days journey to the north in the Hudson Highlands. It is a place called Sleepy Hollow. Have you heard of it?"

" I have not." Ichabod said.

" An isolated farming community, mainly Dutch. Three persons have been murdered there, all within a fortnight. Each one found with the head lopped off."

" Lopped off?" He asked quietly.

" Clean as dandelion heads, apparently. You will take these experiments of yours to Sleepy Hollow, and there you will detect the murderer. Bring him here to face our good justice. Will you do this?" The Burgomaster asked. Ichabod straightened up and held his head high.

" I will." He said.

" Remember it is you, Ichabod Crane, who is now put to the test."

OOO

Murder. _Three_ murders in a fortnight.

Heads lopped off.

Those were the thoughts passing through Ichabod's head as he packed a bag for Ichabod's head as he packed a bag for the trip. Medical instruments and books and other things he thought necessary in another bag.

He heard chirping and turned around. Next to the window in a cage was a small cardinal. He slowly walked over and opened the cage door. He delicately took the bird in his hand and walked to the window. He looked out the window with his dark brown eyes. He opened the window and released the bird. It flew off, twittering and bringing color into the desolate grey sky.

OoO

_THUD! _

Ichabod jumped awake as the carriage he was riding in hit a rock and bounced up and down harshly. He rubbed his cheek, for it had smacked against the side of the carriage. He had high cheekbones, which stood out on his pale face. He looked at his hands. He had dozens of circular scars on his hands. He never knew how he had received them. He only knew he'd had them as long as he could remember. He was also a fairly tall man with a tendency to sometimes stumble over his won feet. Some called him faint of heart. In fact, even he thought he was faint of heart sometimes. Perhaps that was why he was so nervous to go to Sleepy Hollow.

Just after sun down was when Ichabod arrived at Sleepy Hollow. He grabbed both of his bags and exited the carriage. The town was rather isolated and obviously was a farming community. The small buildings were either painted muted colors or weren't painted and kept the wood grain showing, which most buildings were.

The air smelled of wood smoke and Ichabod could almost feel the tension in it. There wasn't anyone outside. Everyone was inside. No one was by the small white church or strolling around the forest edge or farming. The dirt streets were empty. As he walked down the street people closed the shutters on their windows. Ichabod looked around and saw what appeared to be a watchtower made of wood. A young boy perhaps around fourteen or so was leaving, walking away from it with his head hung.

Ichabod found his way to the Van Tassel's manor. It was large compared to the smaller homes he had seen. He walked up the steps to the porch in the darkness of night and up to the door. He knocked on the door then heard a sound over the noises of the apparent party inside. He heard the gasping of breath. He hesitantly looked to the right only to wish he hadn't. Two people in the shadows were glued together at the lips in a heated kiss. He looked back at the door and tried to keep a straight face. The door was opened and Ichabod stepped into the crowd of people inside. It appeared the whole town could be there. Everyone was smiling and laughing as if everything from the last fortnight hadn't happened. They might be able to forget, but Ichabod can't.

Ichabod distractedly made his way into a large room. By the fireplace a circle of men stood as a grinning, blindfolded blond woman spun around in the center. Her arms were outstretched as she tried to grab one of the men.

Out of nowhere two female hands gently grabbed Ichabod's face. He looked down shocked, and found that the blond woman was grabbing his face. She smiled and felt his cheeks.

" Is it Theodore?" The woman asked. She appeared maybe a few years younger than he.

" No. Pardon, miss, I am only a stranger." Ichabod said. He realized the man standing next to him was giving him angry looks.

" Then have a kiss on my account." She said and kissed his cheek. She removed the blindfold and smiled at Ichabod. " I am Katrina Van Tassel."

" I assume your father is Baltus Van Tassel?" He asked.

" He is." Katrina said. The man standing beside Ichabod stepped up to stand close to Katrina.

" We haven't heard your name yet, friend." Said the man with a slightly dark tone to his voice.

" I have not yet said it." Ichabod said.

" Then say it." He said.

" Brom." Katrina said. Another woman walked over to Katrina and handed her a glass of water. Ichabod could have sworn he'd seen her before…

" I am Constable Ichabod Crane from New York, here to investigate the murders in Sleepy Hollow." Ichabod said in the most professional manor he could manage. He bowed slightly to Katrina. Almost everyone went quiet.

" The murders." Said an older man's voice. Ichabod turned to see an older man standing a few feet away with an older blond woman behind him. " I am Baltus Van Tassel." Baltus said holding out his hand. Ichabod shook it. " This is my wife, Lady Van Tassel." Baltus gestured to the older blond woman, who smiled and curtsied.

" I am pleased to meet you." Ichabod said.

" And Sleepy Hollow is grateful to you. We would be honored if you were to stay in our household." Lady Van Tassel added.

" I would be honored." Said Ichabod with a nod of his head.

" If you would care to join me in my study, I shall tell you about the murders. Artemesia, if you would take the Constable's coat." Baltus said before walking down the hall with his wife.

The woman who had given Katrina the glass of water, stepped forward. She held out her hands to take his coat. He looked at her and knew she seemed familiar.

She was his age or a year or so younger, her wavy light brown hair was pulled back slightly, her skin was fairly pale, and she had blue eyes that were the color of a cloudless sky.

" I would prefer to keep my coat, thank you." He said. Artemesia nodded once and stepped back. She curtsied to Katrina and Ichabod before walking off.

" Do excuse her. She is rather shy and awkward around new people." Katrina said. " She's usually my personal maid.

" Then I excuse her. If you could point me in the direction of your father's study?" Ichabod asked. Katrina pointed down the hall. Ichabod nodded graciously and walked to the study.

When he entered the office he saw Baltus, Lady Van Tassel, and four other men.

" Ah! Constable Crane. I am pleased to introduce you to Reverend Steenwyck," He gestured to an almost startled looking man in a wig, "Doctor Lancaster," He gestured to an older man with frizzy hair, " Notary Hardenbrook," He gestured to a very old ma with a clouded over eye, " And Magistrate Phillipse." He gestured to a rather plump man in a wig, clutching something in his hand.

" Pleased to meet you all." Ichabod said. The men nodded.

" Leave us, dear." Baltus said. Lady Van Tassel nodded before leaving.

" Could you please tell me about the murders?" Ichabod asked setting down his bags. " I understand the victims were Peter Van Garret and his son. Found together. Decapitated. The other was Widow Winship. _Also_ decapitated. The heads found severed."

" Their heads weren't found severed." Said Reverend Steenwyck. " Their heads were not found at all."

" The head are… gone?" Ichabod asked timidly.

" Taken." Said Notary Hardenbrook. " Taken by the Headless horseman Taken back to hell."

" Headless Horseman?" Ichabod asked in confusion.

" Perhaps you should sit down, Constable." Baltus suggested. Ichabod took a seat in a chair by a small table. Baltus stood by the fire.

" The horseman was a Hessian mercenary sent to the shores by German princes to keep Americans under the yoke of England. But unlike his compatriots, who came for money, the horseman came for love of carnage.

" He rode on a mighty black steed. He made his kills by slicing off the heads of his enemies. He sharpened his teeth to instill fear in everyone. But the butcher didn't meet his end till that winter. He was decapitated by his own sword. He was buried and they say his ghost haunts the woods, chopping off heads till he gets his own attached again." Baltus finished.

Notary Hardenbrook looked to Ichabod. His hands, which gripped a teacup and small plate, were shaking out of control. Ichabod quickly put the teacup down. He tried to compose his face, failed, and stood.

" Gentlemen. Murders _cannot_ be carried out by ghosts. We have murders in New York without benefit of ghouls and goblins." He said.

" You are a long way from New York, Constable." Said Baltus.

" The murder is obviously an imposter of flesh and blood." Ichabod insisted coolly.

" You'll see." Said Magistrate Phillipse. " You'll see that the horseman is no imposter." Ichabod looked down.

" You say you are here to investigate using scientific techniques? Learned from books?" Reverend Steenwyck asked.

" Yes, many books on science and medical information." Ichabod responded.

" There's only one book I recommend for you." The Reverend said and dropped a heavy Bible on the table beside Ichabod.

" Ah." He said.

" Sarah!" Baltus called. A young woman perhaps the age of twenty stepped inside. " Could you show Mr. Crane to his room?" Sarah nodded and took Ichabod's bags. He quickly grabbed the Bible off the table and followed her.

The house smelled of pumpkin, cinnamon, fall air, and wood smoke. There were carved pumpkins around the house and Sarah led him through the kitchen and upstairs to an attic room. It was plain- a desk, a bed, a chair and a few windows amongst the large room. Ichabod set the Bible on the desk and Sarah set his bags on the bed. He took off his coat and began to unpack.

" Thank you." He said absently to Sarah.

" Of course. Artemesia will be up with some food soon." She stopped halfway out of the room. " Thank God you're here." She said before leaving. Ichabod glanced at the door a moment before continuing to unpack.

After about twenty-four minutes someone knocked on the door.

" Do come in." Ichabod said. Katrina's acclaimed personal maid, Artemesia, walked in, holding a tray of food.

" I have dinner for you, Sir." Artemesia said.

" Thank you, but there is no need to call me sir." Ichabod said.

" OF course." She said setting his food on the desk. She put a small vase of blue wild flowers on the desk as well. " Is that all you will require for now?" Ichabod looked at her. She was standing a few feet away with her hands clasped behind her back.

" This is going to sound odd, but I believe I may have seem you before." He said. She smiled a bit.

" It doesn't sound odd." She said. She gestured to a small book on his bed. " That's a good book." Ichabod remembered running into the woman on the street back in the city. He smiled a bit.

" It's you." He said.

" And so it is me." She responded. One question popped into his mind.

" If you live here in Sleepy Hollow, why were you in New York City?" He asked.

" I had to pick a few things up for Katrina. And I enjoy the chance to be outside." She said looking out the window. She slowly over across the room to the window and looked outside.

" So, I take it you like to be outdoors?" Ichabod asked. She smiled a full, real, happy smile.

" I do. It's a part of me that nothing can ever change. My family has lived here for probably as long as the Hollow has existed. My mother and father were farmers. We owned a small house with a few horses and a nice plot of land." Artemesia said as she leaned against the windowpane.

Ichabod joined her at the window. Night blanketed the sky and the moon and stars created light making the bare tree branches seem like skeletal hands grasping for the sky. His brow furrowed.

" You spoke of your family in the past tense." He said quietly.

" My parents died when I was fifteen. They caught an incurable illness and died within a week. I wasn't able to keep anything my family owned, so I managed to find work here in the manor." She said quietly.

" I'm so sorry." Ichabod said, thinking of his mother.

" It was years ago. But I still love to be outside. But with all the murders everyone is terrified to be outside." She told him. He would be terrified, that's for sure. In fact, he _is_ terrified.

" Are _you_ afraid to go outside?" He asked her. She laughed quietly and turned to him.

" Constable Crane, I've lived here my whole life. I've been in the woods alone before. No, I'm not scared to be outside. But only a _fool_ would go out at night. Most people who go out at night don't ever come back." Artemesia said with a serious look on her face.

" T-taken by the H-headless H-horseman?" Ichabod questioned shakily.

" You're starting to catch on, Constable Crane." She said.

" You don't have to call me that." Ichabod insisted.

" Then what do I call you?" She asked.

" Ichabod." He said.

" Then that is what I shall call you. And to formally introduce myself, my name is Artemesia Clark." Artemesia introduced herself with a faint smile. Ichabod smiled and took her hand.

" It's an honor." He said with a slight bow. Artemesia blushed and suddenly became a bit uncomfortable. Being a maid most her life, she was used to being treated as just that. A maid. But here she stood, with Constable Crane bowing to her formally, just as he had with Katrina.

Once Ichabod straightened up, Artemesia withdrew her hand from his. She gestured to the food on his desk.

" Enjoy the food. If you need anything else, just give a shout." She said. She curtsied to him with a quiet, " Good night." Then she left.

Ichabod walked over to the desk and sat. On the tray was a bowl of soup, two slices of buttered pumpkin bread and a glass of water. He stared at the blue flowers in the vase a second. They seemed familiar…

Brushing off the odd feeling, Ichabod ate the food. After a long carriage ride he had been starving. All the food was gone when he finished eating. He became suddenly aware of how tired he was. He quickly removed his boots and changed into his nightclothes, which were really just a loose white shirt and an old pair of black pants.

Ichabod climbed into bed and pulled the blankets around himself. He blew out the candle and fell asleep, images of a Headless Horseman running in endless circles in his mind.

_Afterword:__ And there is chapter one! I hope you all liked it! I tried my best to keep the lines from the movie in their correct order and in the correct wording, but sometimes I just kinda blanked out and couldn't remember. I also forgot Peter Van Garret's son's name. Actually, I don't think I ever caught it._

_ I tried not to make Artemesia seem timid, because that was __**not**__ my intention. I plan on building her character more throughout the story!  
>Anyway, reviews are strongly wanted and welcomed! Chapter two should be up soon!<em>


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: __I do not own the movie Sleepy Hollow and I do not own the original story of the Headless Horseman._

Chapter Two

_The cool night air was almost unbearable. Masbeth lay in the makeshift watchtower, rifle pointed to the tree line. He wanted the Demon gone. He wanted his son, Young Masbeth, safe. A small herd of sheep ran by, which made Masbeth even more apprehensive. _

_ Mist leaked out of the forest and snuffed out the torches at the forest's edge. Masbeth cocked his rifle, ready to fire. His heart was pounding. Sweat was sliding down his face._

_ Hoof beats._

_ He heard hoof beats. He looked into the forest. His eyes widened._

_ There was a gunshot._

_ Masbeth was running through the forest. He was panting and making terrified sounds as he tried to escape his doom. He glanced behind him. A large figure in armor, torn cape, and no head was charging at him on a large black horse. The Horseman drew his sword._

_ Masbeth let out a yell of horror as the Horseman caught up to him._

_ With a swift slice, and a splash of blood, Masbeth's head was removed from his body and rolled across the forest floor, face forever frozen in a shout of fear._

OOOO

Ichabod's eyes flew open as he awoke the next morning. He sat up to find the tray from the previous night gone, and all his clothes nearly folded on a chair beside his bed. He stood and looked out the window. Early morning mist covered the town and Ichabod figured it must be around seven.

He grabbed his shirt, vest, and pants and pulled them on. As he pulled his boots on he decided to go on a morning walk. He grabbed his coat and quietly went downstairs and out the backdoor.

The cool morning air was crisp and damp. Dew had collected on the grass and created small rivers of condensation on Ichabod's black boots. He pulled his coat on and began to make his way into town.

At this hour, Sleepy Hollow definitely seemed sleepy. Few people were awake and those who were, were either inside or starting their days outside. Smoke drifted from chimneys and a few people greeted Ichabod.

" Good morning, Ichabod." Said Artemesia as she walked up to him. She looked awake despite the fairly early hour. She wore a simple pale green dress with boots and her hair hung in loose curls around her face and shoulders. She smiled at him.

" Good morning, Artemesia. How are you this morning?" He asked, kindly returning the smile, not knowing anything else to do.

" I'm doing wonderfully. I love the morning air." She said.

" As do I. It gives me a life for the day." Ichabod replied. And here, he definitely needed that lift. " Sh-shall we walk t-together?" He asked awkwardly. She laughed in good nature for a second.

" We shall." She answered. Together they began to walk back to the Van Tassel manor. A few moments of silence passed between them.

" What do you do in New York?" Artemesia asked. " Well, I know you are a Constable, but what do you exactly _do_ there?"

" I help enforce justice to the crimes that are committed. However I don't think I can call it justice." Ichabod told in a tight almost rehearsed manor.

" What do you mean?" She asked curiously.

" They seem completely incapable to see that their methods of medieval torture do not bring justice to our society!" He said shaking his head.

" If I can say such, I agree with you. It seems like they're just provoking the criminal. Then again, it is most likely not my place to say such things." Artemesia said straightening noticeably and holding her head just a fraction of an inch higher. " But now I must part from our walk. I'll need to help with cooking and cleaning back at the manor." She curtsied methodically to him before swiftly walking off, quickly making her way back to the manor.

Ichabod watched her retreat. She seemed to be a slave to her duty- a duty, which seemed highly unfair to her. She had ideas that didn't belong trapped in her head, never to be heard. Those ideas deserved to be heard by all. And as Ichabod watched her figure disappear into the mist, he vowed that one day, one day in the near future, that her ideas would be heard.

OOOO

No sooner than Ichabod had arrived, had he been pushed back out of the manor by Sarah, handing him his bag. She suggested he find a horse he would be able to use while he stayed in Sleepy Hollow. It would allow an easier means to get around the town than to walk everywhere.

Ichabod had taken his bag and walked back into the town, where more people had woken up and were officially working about their days. Ichabod had found a barn and asked the red-haired man if he could borrow a horse for the duration of his stay. The man had smiled and agreed, disappearing to find Ichabod a proper horse.

The man came back out leading a dappled grey horse, which sleepy followed him.

" His name is Gunpowder." Said the man proudly. Ichabod smiled to him for a brief second.

" He should do just fine." Ichabod said, slapping Gunpowder lightly on the rump. " Thank you."

" Now if you need any help, you just call my name." He said.

" Of course, thank you, sir." Ichabod said as Gunpowder bumped his head against Ichabod's. In the house beside the barn, a pregnant woman left, and a red-haired woman followed, stopped in the doorway and smiled. She spotted a young boy playing a few yards away.

" Thomas! Come inside!" She called. A little red-haired boy began to run in as the man happily scooped him up and kissed his head.

" Go on and eat you're breakfast. You're mother worked hard on that." He said setting the boy down.

As Ichabod took Gunpowder's reins, a loud gunshot at the tree line caught his attention. A man on horseback held a gun.

" Murder! The Horseman has killed again!" The man shouted before riding to spread the news to the rest of the town.

In a panic, Ichabod attempted to mount the horse as the man ran inside the barn to get his own horse.

" Come on Gunpowder, we're off!" He said. He was unable to seeing as Gunpowder had stubbornly begun to move. When he finally managed to get on the saddle with both feet in the stirrups, he held his bag out to the side awkwardly, and gripped the reins in one hand.

" Giddy-up… no, no… _this_ way…" Ichabod said steering the horse in the right direction. Gunpowder began to walk forward. " Good horsey."

OOOO

When Ichabod had finally managed to find where the body of Masbeth had been found, he noticed the group of men from the previous night in Baltus' study, along with the man who had helped him with Gunpowder, a few other towns men, Artemesia and Brom. Upon Ichabod's arrival, Brom groaned softly and rolled his eyes. They all stood around the decapitated body of Masbeth. The body was on its back with its arms on its stomach. Doctor Lancaster was crouching by the body.

" It's alright. I'm here now." Ichabod said as he awkwardly dismounted the horse. Brom rolled his eyes again. As he began to approach the body began to pass Baltus and Artemesia, who stood with her hands clasped in front of her, back straight and her hair pulled into a tight, neat bun. He stopped and looked at her then to Baltus.

" May I inquire why she is here?" He asked Baltus, in a manor that said he questioned whether she should be there. And to Artemesia, it was like another person was questioning her place.

" I trust her very much and I know she can be of help during this kinds of times. I believe she is completely capable of withstanding this." Baltus said gesturing to Masbeth's body with a nod. Artemesia glanced at the body with a sad look in her eyes, but when her eyes locked with Ichabod's they flashed with an emotion he was unable to place.

He walked forward with a nod and set his bag down close to the body. He looked down at it and resisted the urge to gag.

" The fourth victim. Jonathan Masbeth." Said Dr. Lancaster.

" Ah. I-I see… A-and the head?" Ichabod asked, his back to the group.

" Taken." Philipse said.

" Taken… Interesting. Very interesting…" Ichabod said, turning to the group again.

" What is?" Baltus asked.

" In headless corpse cases such as this, the head is removed to prevent identification of the body." Ichabod said approaching Baltus.

" Yes, but we know who it is." Artemesia interjected.

" We _know_ that this is Jonathan Masbeth!" Baltus continued.

" Precisely, so _why_ was the head removed?" Ichabod said recovering from his slight mistake.

" Why…" Baltus echoed.

" Right!" Ichabod said turning. He then noticed the obvious situation that the body had been moved. Ichabod walked down the line of men to Dr. Lancaster. He turned to face him, hands behind his back.

" You have moved the body." He stated.

" I did." Dr. Lancaster admitted with a bit of confusion.

" You must _never_ move the body!" Ichabod said loudly.

" Why not?" Dr. Lancaster asked confusion clearly apparent in his voice.

" Because…" Ichabod trailed off then went to the body. He noticed the hoof prints in the leaves around the body. He also noticed some boot prints as well. He took a few giant steps in order to recreate the Horseman's stride.

" The stride is _gigantic_! The attacker rode Masbeth down," Ichabod pretended to ride a horse at a gallop, past Masbeth's body, " turned his horse," he made a loop around, " and came back." Ichabod said in thought as he arrived back at the body. Artemesia was suppressing laughter as she watched his crazy and hilarious antics. " Came back to claim the head."

Ichabod swiftly ran to his bag and opened it, pulling out a small rack of bottles. He grabbed a small bottle and crouched by the body. He sprinkled powder by the severed neck of the body. He watched as the powder began to fizzle.

" Yes. There's a chemical reaction. It shows there was a powerful, singular thrust to the neck." Ichabod told the small group. Artemesia, despite herself, watched Ichabod interestedly. Ichabod returned to his bag and bent his head as he pulled something on. He looked up and was wearing goggles with magnifying lenses, which made his eyes huge. He grabbed a pair of tongs and turned.

Artemesia covered her mouth and turned away for a moment, attempting to compose herself. All the men looked at each other, confused.

" Now." Ichabod began, crouching by the severed neck. Trying not to look too closely at the exposed bone and blood, using the tongs he had brought, he lifted the skin of the neck. A beetle scurried out and away from Ichabod and the body. He shuddered, gagged and stood quickly, turning away from everyone.

" Interesting." Ichabod said with a strangled voice.

" What is it?" Baltus asked.

" The wound was cauterized in the very instant, as though the blade itself were…" He turned to the group. " Red-hot. And yet, no blistering, no scorched flesh." He concluded.

" The Devil's fire." Said Samuel Philipse, his grip tightening on something around his neck.

Ichabod slowly removed his goggles and replaced all of his tools and the bottle back into the bag. The group of townsmen all lifted Masbeth's body and began to take it back towards town. Ichabod closed his bag as everyone silently began to get on their horses to head back into town.

Artemesia was standing by a very tall chestnut brown horse that had a white streak on its nose. She stroked the horse's neck and kissed just below its eye. Ichabod walked over as Artemesia began to put her foot in a stirrup. When he came close Artemesia turned to look at him. She lowered her foot.

" That was very impressive, Mr. Crane." She said.

" Must I tell you again, that there is no need for formalities? Please call me Ichabod." Ichabod once again insisted. Artemesia smiled a bit.

" Of course." Artemesia said. " May I ask, if it is alright, earlier you asked why I was here. Were you questioning my place, or were you doubting whether or not a woman could handle seeing a dead body?" Ichabod raised his eyebrows at the sudden question. She looked dead serious and slightly offended.

" I-I wasn't sure if you would be able t-to see such a gruesome sight." Ichabod told her, nervously gripping the handle of his bag.

" Ichabod, Jonathan Masbeth technically saved my life when my parents died. I _know_ that I owed him my life. He helped me find my place in the Van Tassel Manor. The fact he was murdered like this brings my blood to a boil." Artemesia said with tears welling in her eyes. She had forgotten her anger at Ichabod completely, and that anger was replaced by anger for the Horseman. " I want you to figure out why he and the others were murdered in this way. Masbeth didn't deserve to die like this. Especially when he was the only one caring for his son."

Artemesia wiped at her eyes and continued to mount the horse. Brom helped her raise her foot to the stirrup before he gave Ichabod a look and walked away. Artemesia finished mounting the horse and lightly kicked her heels into the horse's side. She soon took off to go back into town.

Ichabod stared at the ground and he slowly made his way back to Gunpowder. He stroked Gunpowder's face and looked into the mysterious misty depths of the forest. _Whatever- no, _whoever_ was killing these men was playing off the fear of the town and their superstitions… I need to stop them._ Ichabod thought as he made his way back into town.

OOOO

" The vigilant, as say-eth in the book of Peter. Chapter five, verse eight." Reverend Steenwyck began to say at Jonathan Masbeth's funeral later in the day. The sky had clouded over and mist hung at the forest's edge. The whole town was in attendance. Katrina stood, side pressed into Brom's. She wiped at her eyes with a small handkerchief.

A young boy around the age of twelve or fourteen stood isolated by the Reverend, staring at the grave of his father. He wore a ragged grey woolen coat over an off white vest and thin white shirt. His brown pants were ripped in places and his shoes were scuffed and coated in a layer of dust and dirt. His dark eyes were glassy and his short dark hair was rumpled.

Ichabod stood, hands clasped in front of him, face grim, and he listened to the Reverend as he spoke. He glanced at Brom and Katrina. Brom met his eyes, glared slightly and pulled Katrina into his side. Ichabod himself was mostly isolated from the rest of the town, seeing as he knew almost no one.

" God rest, Jonathan Masbeth." Reverend Steenwyck finished. Everyone began to silently make their way back to town. The atmosphere was sad and grim. Everyone in Sleepy Hollow knew everyone in the town. That was the privilege of living in a small farming community.

As Reverend Steenwyck passed Young Masbeth he clasped his shoulder in what was meant to be a reassuring manor. But to Young Masbeth, it meant nothing. He stood silently by the mound of dirt and tombstone that was his father's final resting place. He was officially alone in the world. Ichabod watched as Artemesia walked forward towards Young Masbeth.

She placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and said something to him. His eyes collected more tears and he hugged her tightly. She hugged back, stroking his hair comfortingly. She herself was wearing a simple black dress and her hair was let down. Her blue eyes were darkened and tears stained her pink cheeks. After a second Young Masbeth pulled back, taking a deep breath, which sounded more like a gasp.

Ichabod turned and began to walk away. Young Masbeth saw his retreating figure and suddenly took off into a short run to catch up to him, Artemesia slowly following.

" Mr. Constable, Sir." Young Masbeth said as he stopped just behind Ichabod. Ichabod turned and gave the young boy a sympathetic smile.

" Ah… you're Young Masbeth." He said. Artemesia stood behind the boy and kept a hand on his shoulder.

" I _was_ Young Masbeth… but now the _only_ one." Young Masbeth said. " Masbeth at your service. In honor, bound to avenge my father."

" Well, one and only Masbeth, I thank you very much, but your mother will need you more than I." Ichabod said giving a small smile. Artemesia squeezed Masbeth's shoulder and looked down. Young Masbeth looked down for a moment. Ichabod noticed the drained look on the young boy's face. He looked back up at Ichabod.

" My mother is in Heaven, Sir. She has my father now to care for her. But you have no one to serve you! I am your man, Sir!" Young Masbeth insisted.

" Yes, and a brave one, too. But I cannot be the one to look after you." Ichabod found it hard to look the young boy in the face. Ichabod put a hand on the shoulder Artemesia's hand wasn't on. " I'm sorry for your loss, young master Masbeth." Ichabod said. Ichabod pat his shoulder a few times then met Artemesia's eyes. She gave him a look- one mixed of disbelief and sadness. Ichabod briefly met Young Masbeth's eyes then turned away, beginning to walk off.

Artemesia hugged Young Masbeth again and released his shoulder. Young Masbeth sadly looked at his father's grave and walked over to it, glancing at Ichabod leaving and Artemesia standing a few feet away. He stopped at the grave and looked down.

As Ichabod walked through the graveyard Magistrate Philipse stopped him.

" Constable Crane." He said.

" Magistrate Philipse." Ichabod returned the greeting.

" There is something you must know. Jonathan Masbeth was not the _fourth_ victim." Philipse said wringing his hands and looking at the dying grass beneath his feet. Ichabod gave him a confused look. Philipse removed his wig. " But the fifth."

" The _fifth_?" Ichabod asked incredulously.

" Aye. Five victims, in four graves." Philipse said facing Ichabod. Reverend Steenwyck gave Philipse a look and Philipse made his leave. Ichabod watched him go. Then he turned to the graves. Artemesia had walked over and stood beside him.

" What was that about?" She asked. Ichabod said nothing and counted all the graves silently. There were only four graves. Artemesia raised an eyebrow. " Ichabod?"

Ichabod suddenly turned.

" Young Masbeth!" He called. Young Masbeth turned to look at him. " Find a place in the Van Tassel's servant's quarters. Wake me before dawn. I hope you have a strong stomach."

_Afterword: __I finally got chapter two done! I admit that as I wrote the first chapter, I was unable to think of anything that could happen in chapter two involving Artemesia. I finally was able to come up with the whole walk scene. However after that, I hit a wall. Last night I sat down and was like 'Okay, I need to get into this story like when I first started the story and came up with the idea.' And I wrote this and I'm officially in love with it! I've put one or two of my other fanfictions off- one of which I haven't even started yet._

_ Anyway I hope you all liked this! Reviews are strongly wanted! I would love to know you onions on it and maybe you might have some ideas for me! =D_


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own the movie Sleepy Hollow or the original story of the Headless Horseman_

Chapter Three

When Ichabod, Artemesia, and Young Masbeth had returned to the Van Tassel Manor, most of the inhabitants were quiet. Artemesia immediately tied her hair back.

" Come on, Young Masbeth. I'll go find you a room." Artemesia said with a kind and caring smile. He smiled back and together they went upstairs.

Ichabod let out a slightly shuttering sigh as he began up the stairs as well. He wasn't looking forward to the next morning. He wasn't looking forward to what he was going to have to do. He was going to have to exhume all the victims and figure out the meaning of 'five victims, in four graves.' Ichabod made his way to his room and set his bag on the floor. He shed his coat and draped it over the back of the chair at his desk. He ran a hand through his now messy hair and sat on the edge of his bed. All he really wanted was his book, a hot cup of tea, and silence. Well, the book and the silence were already accounted for. The tea, he might need to ask for.

Artemesia knocked on the door before stepping in.

" Is there anything I could get you, Ichabod?" She asked.

" Actually, I would very much appreciate a cup of tea." Ichabod said quietly. He took his book and looked up to her.

" Do you have a preference to what type?" She asked.

" I have no preference." He said.

" Then I shall return shortly." She replied with a curtsy before exiting the room.

Ichabod began to read his book when Young Masbeth knocked on the door. He looked up and smiled for a brief second.

" Come in, Young Masbeth." Ichabod said. Young Masbeth walked in and looked around. He briefly looked out the window then stopped a few feet away from the bed.

" So, Constable Crane, why exactly do I need to wake you at dawn?" He asked.

" You need to wake me at dawn so that we may investigate the victims' bodies." Ichabod said as a sickly look appeared on his face.

" Why would we need to do that?" Young Masbeth inquired.

" So that we may look into the fifth victim." Ichabod revealed to the boy.

" Fifth? There were only four murders." Artemesia decided to point out as she re-entered the room with Ichabod's cup of tea. She handed it to him.

" Thank you. No, Magistrate Philipse told me there were five victims in four graves." Ichabod said.

" Then I suppose that could pose a reason to exhume the corpses." Artemesia said. " If I may inquire such, would I be able to join you?" Ichabod looked at her. She seemed honestly curious about the situation. She seemed intrigued by the murders despite their gruesome nature. She still believed that the murders were committed by the Headless Horseman just like the rest of the town. He still wanted to prove that the murderer was no ghost.

" If you do not mind waking up at such an early hour, then you are welcome to come with us." Ichabod said with a very slight smile and a nod. Artemesia gave a slight curtsy and a small smile.

" Thank you." She replied. " Shall I bring your dinner up here or would you care to take it with the family?"

" I'd like to take it up here." He replied.

" I'll see that it is brought up." Artemesia gave another curtsy and walked out. Young Masbeth sat on the chair by Ichabod's bed. He still looked drained and looked like he was on the verge of falling asleep.

" Young Masbeth, I believe you should get some rest. You will need all that you can get if you plan to wake me at dawn." Ichabod said with a kind smile. He nodded and shuffled out of the room and down to his own.

OOOO

After Ichabod, Young Masbeth and Artemesia had arrived at the cemetery, helpful townsmen helped exhume the bodies.

" Peter Van Garrett, Derrick Van Garrett, Jonathan Masbeth…" Ichabod said as he looked at all three headless bodies in their coffins. " Five victims, four graves…" He muttered as the last coffin was pulled from the ground. Young Masbeth and Artemesia were holding lanterns to light the dark morning. Ichabod walked over to the coffin. One man pried the lid off.

The body inside was headless but also it was female. It was dressed in a dirtied white and pink dress and Artemesia bit her lip as she looked at the only female victim.

" The… Widow Winship." Ichabod said lifting a handkerchief to cover his nose and mouth. He walked over to the coffin and knelt beside it. He leaned over the body and checked the severed neck. It was the same as all the others. It was a clean cut like the blade was red-hot and there was no blistering. Ichabod's eyebrows scrunched as he noticed something.

He reached out and noticed the bottom of the bodice was open a few inches. He gently pulled the sides away a bit and found a small cut just below the belly button. He straightened up as a sudden idea came to mind.

OoO

Later in the morning, Doctor Lancaster was calmly organizing documents on his desk when the door suddenly flew open.

" Bring the Widow in!" Ichabod ordered. Two men carried the Widow Winship's coffin in followed by Ichabod, Artemesia and Young Masbeth. The two men set the by the operating table.

" This is most irregular, Constable!" Dr. Lancaster exclaimed in shock.

" I should hope so, Doctor, but in this case, necessary. I shall need to operate immediately." Ichabod said opening up his bag. The two men lifted the body and placed it on the operating table.

" Operate?" Dr. Lancaster asked, standing. A look of pure confusion crossed his face. " She's dead."

Ichabod made a sound like a huffed sigh then looked up at the doctor.

" Now, when I say _operate_, I mean we shall need the operating _table_." Ichabod clarified for him. Ichabod began to lay out odd-looking tools, which made Artemesia tilt her head a bit as she looked at them. " Once again the neck wound is cauterized, the…" He swallowed as he moved the fabric at the bottom of the bodice. " Sword thrust to the stomach is the same. But to what purpose?" He asked mostly to himself. He leaned over the body to examine the cut on the stomach.

" To what is _your_ purpose is the question." Dr. Lancaster said. Ichabod looked up to him. " What manor of instruments are these?" asked the doctor as he picked up one of Ichabod's tools. Ichabod quickly and carefully snatched the tool back.

" Some of my own design." He said holding it to his chest before setting it down. " Well then, go outside Young Masbeth, Artemesia. Thank you for the help gentlemen." He said urging Young Masbeth and Artemesia out with his hands on their backs as he led them to the door. Then he grabbed the doctor and pushed him out. " If you don't mind doctor, my focus is somewhat better when I'm not being observed."

He shut the door and locked it. He took a deep breath.

Outside, Young Masbeth and Artemesia sat on a small stone staircase and quietly talked. Baltus, Philipse, Lancaster, Steenwyck and Hardenbrook all talked in a group a few feet away, waiting for Ichabod to be through.

Inside, Ichabod had shed his coat, rolled up his sleeves, put on his odd looking goggles, dawned an apron of sorts and was looking through one of his medical books. He glanced over one page then turned to the next and heaved a small sigh. He carefully took one of his instruments and put it against the cut. He referenced his book a few, no, many more times before finally taking a deep breath and gently pushing the tool against the cut. Blood squirted into his face and oozed down his skin. He shuddered.

After a bit longer, Ichabod opened the doors to the doctor's office. He emerged spattered in blood. Artemesia's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open at the sight.

" I am finished." Ichabod said wiping his hands stiffly with a rag. In fact, his whole body was ridged and he took a deep breath.

" _What _in the name of _God_ have you done to her!" Reverend Steenwyck angrily demanded.

" We are dealing… with a _madman_." Ichabod stated loud enough for the men, Young Masbeth and Artemesia to hear.

" What did you find out, Constable?" Magistrate Philipse asked.

" The Widow Winship was with child." Ichabod revealed. Artemesia covered her mouth. The group of men stood in shocked silence.

Ichabod glanced down at his bloodied clothing and skin. He gagged slightly.

" I think we should return to the Manor so you may clean yourself up." Artemesia said softly to him. He nodded.

" That would be a wonderful thing." He said.

OOOO

After Ichabod had bathed, dressed, and eaten, he went outside and saddled Gunpowder. He rode into town and quietly made his way to the Hollow's covered bridge. He was thinking of the days events as he began to pass through the bridge. He couldn't help but glance around him. He felt nervous. Like someone was watching him. Following him. He heard an odd echo-y sound and he halted Gunpowder. He looked to the brook below. There was a splash as a frog jumped into the water.

Ichabod shook his head at himself and continued to move forward. He suddenly heard a loud whiny and stopped. That hadn't been Gunpowder. Slowly he turned to look behind him.

" Who's there?" He called. He was answered by silence. Suddenly, a large black horse with a headless rider appeared. The rider held a flaming Jack-O-Lantern. Ichabod blanched and made a silent scream before flicking Gunpowder's reins, jabbing his heels into his sides and took off. The rider swiftly followed.

Ichabod took off into the woods, attempting to escape the caped, headless rider. He glanced behind himself to see the rider following him with great speed, still holding up the Jack-O-Lantern. Ichabod stopped Gunpowder and stared at the rider. The rider's horse reared up and the rider held the carved pumpkin higher then hurled it towards Ichabod. Still flaming, the Jack-O-Lantern smashed into Ichabod's face and he toppled off of Gunpowder. He watched as the rider took off past him and disappeared into the mist.

The 'headless' rider slowly slowed down and stopped by two waiting men. One man steadied the horse and the other walked up to the rider. Brom tossed the cape over his shoulders with a proud smirk. He had sandbags on his shoulders in order to make him appear headless. The three men laughed at their success.

Ichabod heard the laughing then his head began to spin. His head thumped back to the ground as he fainted.

_ In his mind he heard a kind woman's voice calling his name._

_ " Ichabod? Ichabod?" He saw a woman with a blindfold on. She was turning around and around in circles, arms out, reaching and searching. She wore an elegant blue silk dress and had thick, flowing, straight deep brown hair. She was standing in front of a small simple house in a large, grassy yard. Tall trees with bright purple-pink flowers were everywhere and a worn white fence created the lawn's boundaries._

_ He saw a small boy with equally brown, short hair in a black jacket run towards the woman with pure joy. The woman gently caught his face with a grin. The boy was himself. It was himself as a young boy. The woman knelt down with a grin and removed the blindfold, revealing beautiful deep brown eyes- his eyes. He grinned and held out a small bouquet of blue-purple flowers he had picked for her. She smiled as she took them then shut her eyes and breathed in their scent._

_ The happy scene was cut to a stark white room with white pews and a bright red door with a cross above it._

_ Then he saw his mother gesture for him to follow her into a large room with a large fireplace. She walked to the fire, and crouched by it, tossing the flowers into the flames. She took a stick as smoke appeared from the burning flowers. Periodically shutting her eyes, she used the stick to draw swirling designs in the soot by the fire._

_ Then he saw a stern looking man come through a wall of smoke. He wore only black clothes and a white wig. He didn't appear kind at all. It was his father._

_ His father disappeared in a flash of lightening and then he saw himself in his room. He had his quilts yanked up to his nose as he flinched away from the thunder and lightning. His mother, still in that beautiful silk gown and her waist length hair still flowing loosely around her, was perched on the side of his bed. She stroked his arms then pulled out something. It was a circular piece of wood with two images on either side. One side was a birdcage. The other was a flying cardinal. She took the string that was attached to either side of the circular piece of wood and began to roll it between her fingers._

_ As the images spun, they became one. They made the image of a cardinal trapped in a cage. It was like magic. His mother smiled sweetly and comfortingly at him. He smiled as he lowered the quilt and felt comforted by his mother and the magical images._

_ Then he saw his father watching them from the window outside, in the rain. He saw that red door again. It swung open and he caught a glimpse of gruesome torture devices. Then his father's smirking face._

Ichabod woke with a start. He was breathing hard and was startled by his own memories. He scrunched his eyebrows when he realized he was back in his room at the Van Tassel Manor. He had been sure he had fainted in the forest after being horridly pranked my some townsperson. He saw his dirt-coated jacket on the chair by his bed. Someone had obviously found him and brought him back. Who, he did not know, but when he found out, he'd have to thank them.

Ichabod quickly stood and ran down the steps into the darkened kitchen. The only sound was the crickets outside. Everyone in the house was asleep and the only light came from a candle he was carrying. He began to pour himself a glass of water but spotted what looked like light coming from the hall. He blew out the candle and saw that it was indeed light. He set the pitcher of water and walked to the room.

He gently pushed the door open and froze. In the room was Katrina. She was sitting alone by a fireplace, reading.

" Oh! I'm sorry for the intrusion. I saw light." He began to back out and shut the door when Katrina spoke.

" It's no intrusion. I come here to read when I awaken in the night." Katrina told him. He slowly entered the room as Katrina hid the book she was reading beneath a couch cushion. Her blond hair was braided and she wore a thick green robe over her nightgown.

" You read books, which you must hide?" He asked.

" They were my mother's books. My father believes tales of romance caused the brain fever that killed my mother." Katrina told him. " She died two years ago, come winter. The nurse that cared for her is now Lady Van Tassel."

" But there is something else. Why did none think to mentioned that the Van Garrett's are kith and kin to the Van Tassels?" Ichabod asked.

" Because there is hardly a household in Sleepy Hollow that is not connected to every other by blood and marriage." Katrina explained with a kind smile.

" I see." Ichabod said turning and walking to the window. Katrina joined him as they looked out the window at the dark, misty forest.

" This land was Van Garrett land. Given to my father when I was in swaddling clothes. The Van Garrett's were the richest family around these parts. When my family came to Sleepy Hollow the Van Garrett's gave him an acre and a broken down cottage. My father worked hard for his family, and prospered and built this house. And I owe my happiness to him." She smiled and laughed slightly. " I remember living poor in the cottage." She looked up at him with a slightly bigger smile. " Shall I show you?" She asked. Ichabod thought a moment. What could be the harm of accompanying Katrina to her old home? He didn't see anything wrong with it.

" Yes." He said. Katrina reached into her robe pulled out a small book.

" Take this." She said handing it to him. The cover read '_A Compendium of Spells, Charms, and Devices of the Spirit World._' " It is my gift for you."

" No, I have no use for it." Ichabod said, keeping his hands behind his back.

" Are you _always_ so certain of everything?" Katrina asked with a small smirk on her face, still holding it out. He attempted a smile, which did not show, and took it. He opened the cover and saw two names in fancy script. One was Elizabeth Van Tassel and the other was Katrina Van Tassel.

" It… was your mother's." He stated shutting the cover.

" Keep it close to your heart. It is sure protection." Katrina assured him.

" Are _you_ so certain of everything?" Ichabod asked. Katrina smiled. " But, may I inquire who… found me?"

" Found you? Oh! You mean in your unconscious state. I believe that it was Artemesia." Katrina said. " If you excuse me I will go dress."

Katrina made her way upstairs as Ichabod's eyebrows scrunched together as he thought of that. Artemesia had found him. His question was why had she been out so late. And in that part of town. He knew she wasn't the prankster, seeing as the laughter was male. He shook his head and made a note to ask her about it later.

Ichabod then fetched his coat and made his way to ready Gunpowder.

_Afterword:__ I hope you liked chapter three! Added in a bit of a question about why Artemesia was out that late at night. In the next chapter you'll find out why! Reviews are strongly wanted!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own the movie Sleepy Hollow or the original story of the Headless Horseman_

Chapter Four

Ichabod and Katrina, both on horse back, rode to a more isolated area of the Hollow and they had to ride through the forest to get to it. Early morning mist hung everywhere and the air was chilly. They approached the remains of a small cottage- the foundation, the fireplace, the doorframe and the frames on the one of the walls were still standing.

Ichabod dismounted Gunpowder and assisted Katrina with getting off her own horse. She looked at his hands and noticed the circular indentations and scars on his palms.

" These are strange. These markings, what are they?" Katrina asked.

" I've had them since I can remember." He said. And that was true. He didn't know how he got them, just that he'd had them since he can remember. She smiled at him and he smiled slightly and briefly back. He followed her into the small area where the cottage used to sit. The trees surrounding it were dead and would never grow leaves again.

Katrina crouched down by the fireplace, her pale blue dress poofing out around her.

" I used to play around this hearth as a child." She said holding a small blue flower. She picked up a stick. " It was my first drawing school." She smiled as she began to draw small swirling patterns. " My mother was my teacher." Ichabod's eyes widened when he saw the pattern. " Oh, look!" Katrina said pointing to the back of the fireplace and standing. " See? Carved into the fire back? The Archer. I had forgotten it."

Ichabod walked to the broken window frame and stared out, trying to calm his speeding heart.

" It was here long before we came." Katrina said turning to look at him. "Are you alright?"

" Yes. I am." He said turning to face her then back at to the window frame. They hear sweet chirping and looked up to a tree.

" Oh, look! A cardinal. My favorite. I would love to have a tame one, but I wouldn't have the heart to cage it." Katrina said with a smile as she watched it. Ichabod turned to her and walked over. He smiled at her.

" Well then, I have something for you." Ichabod said pulling the wooden circle with the image of the cardinal in flight and the cage. It was the same one that his mother had shown to him. He held it up so she could see. " Cardinal on one side, and an empty cage on the other." He smiled again. " And now," He began to roll the thread between his fingers and the images spun and became one.

Katrina gasped with delight and grinned.

" You_ can_ do magic. Teach me!" She said happily.

" It is no magic. It is called _optics_. Two pictures become one in the spinning. It is truth, but truth is not appearance." Ichabod said. Katrina's face was a mask of was looked like appeared to be interest but it didn't reach her eyes.

OOOO

Shortly after Ichabod and Katrina had returned, Ichabod found Artemesia hemming a pair of Young Masbeth's trousers in a corner of the kitchen. Her hair was messily pulled up and strands of hair were falling around her face. She appeared tired but was managing to stay awake. He walked over and sat in a chair that was facing her.

" Good afternoon, Ichabod." She said with a sleepy smile.

" Good afternoon, Artemesia. You seem tired." Ichabod stated. Artemesia laughed quietly.

" Oh, I am. Staying up late and waking early isn't the best thing for me." She said setting her work down. " I work all day, sleep, wake early and work. And I've done that everyday since I was fifteen."

" I was told that… _you_ were the one to find me out in the woods. May I inquire how?" He asked. Artemesia smiled slightly.

" I enjoy being able to go on walks when no one's outside. It reminds me of my walks with my parents when I was little. Anyway, I was on a walk and I noticed that Gunpowder came bounding out of the woods. I noticed you weren't on him. So I took Gunpowder, followed his tracks and found you unconscious on the ground. I put you on Gunpowder and brought you back here." She explained.

" Well, I must thank you for doing that. I'm not sure what would have happened if I had been left there all night." Ichabod said. Artemesia laughed quietly and continued to hem the trousers.

" Probably something bad. I don't think the Headless Horseman would spare the brave man that is trying to track him down." Artemesia said with a smile to him.

" That was… actually the reason I had fainted. Some… man tried to trick me into thinking I had been attacked by the Horseman. They dressed themselves to appear headless and threw a carved pumpkin at me." Ichabod explained. Artemesia looked at him, cutting the thread attached to her needle.

" I believe that I may know who that man was. Brom Von Brunt. He enjoys tricking whom he considers competition." She said.

" Competition?" Ichabod asked with interest.

" Yes. He has been courting Katrina for a few years now. She returns his affections but Brom still wants to make sure no other man will steal her away from him. And at the moment, he's waiting for your departure, but till then, you pose a huge competition to him." Artemesia said.

" And why is that?" Ichabod asked. She looked at him thinking he must have been joking. But the look on his face was pure, utter confusion.

" You are a very handsome, strong, brave man who has an enjoyable personality. You help people. That makes you a basically perfect man._ That_ is why you pose a huge competition." Artemesia said with complete honesty. She smiled sweetly at him and stood, folding Young Masbeth's trousers. She gave a small curtsy before making her way upstairs. Young Masbeth stood in the doorway. Ichabod watched her leave.

" Sir?" Young Masbeth asked when Ichabod didn't move for a moment. Ichabod jumped.

" Yes, Young Masbeth?" Ichabod asked.

" Are you alright?"

" Yes… Yes I'm doing just fine." He said with a small smile.

OOOO

Later in the evening Ichabod was in town and began to pass a building where he heard arguing. After a moment he passed by the window and made a fleeting glance inside. Doctor Lancaster, Reverend Steenwyck, Notary Hardenbrook and Magistrate Philipse were all arguing inside and Philipse was making his way out the door. Ichabod stopped at the corner of the building.

He watched as Philipse placed a trunk in a cart that was attached to a donkey in the street. He took the reins on the donkey and began to lead it out of town. Ichabod's eyebrows scrunched in confusion and curiosity. After a second he started to follow him.

As Philipse began to go down the road that was went through a field by the forest, Ichabod road up on Gunpowder. He dismounted and walked towards the Magistrate.

" What are you running from, Magistrate Philipse?" He asked as he began to walk beside the man.

" Damn you, Crane!" Philipse grumbled as he continued to walk.

" You remained to help me." Ichabod said, referring to the fact he knew about the Widow Winship's pregnancy, and had informed him about it.

" Yes. And it's put me in mortal dread." Philipse admitted.

" Of _what_?" Ichabod demanded strongly.

" Of powers against which there is no defense." He said then urged the donkey forward.

" How did you know the Widow Winship was expecting a child?" Ichabod asked.

" She told me." Philipse answered simply.

" Then I deduce that _you_ are the father." He said.

" I am not the father." Philipse said with a shake of his head.

" Did she tell you the name of the father?" He asked.

" Yes. She did." He removed his wig and rubbed the top of his head. " She came to me for advice because I am the town magistrate. To protect the rights of her child. I was bound by the rights of my office to keep the secret, but-"

" You believe the father killed her."

" The _Horseman_ killed her!" Philipse said with a strong belief in his voice.

" How many times do I have to tell you, there _is no Horseman_." Ichabod insisted as lightning flashed overhead and thunder growled. " There never _was_ a Horseman there never _will be_ a Horseman!" Ichabod noticed an amulet that the Magistrate was clutching. It resembled that of an Egyptian ankh, the symbol of eternal life. " What is that?" He asked grabbing at it. Philipse snatched it back.

" It's my talisman, it protects me from the Horseman!" He claimed.

" _You_ a _magistrate_ and your head is full of such nonsense! Now tell me the name of the-" Ichabod was interrupted by a bright flash of lightning and a loud crack of thunder. He turned to see a herd of sheep flee an opening in the forest. He glanced at Philipse. A scarecrow shivered in the wind and it seemed as if it were pointing into the misty forest. Magistrate Philipse narrowed his eyes as he tried to spot something in the mist. An owl made an eerie call and then there was a whiney. Gunpowder had once again fled, so it could not have been him.

Another flash of lightning illuminated a dark figure.

" Oh my God!" Magistrate Philipse exclaimed, turning away from the forest. Ichabod spun to face the tree line and his eyes widened in shock. A headless figure on a mighty black steed was galloping at full speed towards him and the Magistrate. As the Horseman passed a shocked Ichabod, the Horseman unsheathed his sword and spun it with a flourish. He charged after Magistrate Philipse, who had only made it a yard or so away.

Philipse turned to see the final and most terrifying sight of his life. The Horseman had raised his sword high, and was charging straight towards him. He gasped and the Horseman made one slash, and the Magistrate's head came clean off. Ichabod had fallen to the ground and was watching in terror. Philipse body had collapsed, but the head rolled down the hill as the Headless Horseman held up his sword in victory and his horse reared up. He spun his sword again.

As Ichabod watched, he _knew_ this was not Brom. This Headless Horseman had a torn cape, was wearing Hessian armor, and was obviously deadly with a sword. And he was most definitely dead. Everything that the people in Sleepy Hollow said was true. Ichabod spotted the head rolling towards him and tried to scramble away. Philipse's head came to a stop just between Ichabod's knees. He looked down at it and gagged, and he only managed to stay sitting by the fact his hands were bracing the ground.

To Ichabod's terror, the Horseman raised his sword once more and started to make his way towards him. His dark eyes widened, as the Horseman was now a few feet away, beginning to pick up speed and then stabbed the sword into the top of the head, lifted it away from Ichabod and charged back into the forest, disappearing into the mist.

Ichabod's eyes rolled back into his head as he immediately fainted.

ooOoo

Young Masbeth was sitting outside of Ichabod's room in the Van Tassel Manor somewhere in the very early morning after he had been returned to the manor by Reverend Steenwyck and Doctor Lancaster.

Baltus, Katrina and Artemesia came up the stairs and went to Ichabod's room. Baltus rapped on the door. Inside his room Ichabod sat up on his bed, leaning into the corner of the walls where his bed was placed and held the quilt up under his nose.

" Constable Crane? Constable Crane?" Baltus asked. He turned to Artemesia, Young Masbeth and Katrina. " Has he not come out at all?" He asked them. They all worriedly shook their heads. Katrina was dressed in a fancy bright, sunny dress and Artemesia stood beside her in a very much less fancy, more practical grey-blue dress.

Baltus had a look of worry composed on his own face as he opened the door and entered the room, the others following. They were all surprised to see Ichabod cowering between the wall and the headboard.

" It was a Headless Horseman." Ichabod said to them, beginning to shake.

" You must not excite yourself." Baltus said.

" But it was a Headless Horseman!" Ichabod all but cried.

" Of course it was, that's why you're here." Baltus said calmly. Katrina looked between confused and shocked, Young Masbeth and Artemesia appeared to be deathly worried for Ichabod.

" _NO_, you must believe me!" He insisted like a stubborn child. " It was a horseman, a dead one. _Headless_." Ichabod stated still clutching the quilt. He cowered back into the wall again.

" I know, I know." Baltus said.

" You _don't _ know because you were not there! It's _all_ true!" Ichabod said in a manor or panic and shock.

" Of _course_ it is. I told you. _Everyone_ told you." Baltus continued, making a vague gesture to Artemesia. Ichabod opened his mouth and for a moment, nothing came out.

" I… _saw_ him." Ichabod said quietly. He gave a brief, slight, nervous smile before fainting again, head hitting the headboard and the wall, and the quilt was still clutched in his hands. Artemesia and Katrina made a move to help him, but stopped when they saw he was officially out cold. Young Masbeth looked at Artemesia then back to the unconscious Ichabod.

" I guess it's back to the city then." Young Masbeth said with a tinge of worry in his voice. Artemesia watched the man who had fainted only seconds ago. She let out a small sigh and put a hand on Young Masbeth's back as they all looked at Ichabod.

_In his mind, Ichabod saw his mother again. She was gently blowing small seedlings that resembled that of a dandelion from a plant. Thousands of them filled the air and drifted about as him as a young boy walked over to his mother. They joined hands and began to gently spin in circles. They smiled and laughed as the seedlings drifted around the air, catching in their hair. Neither minded because they were enjoying each other._

_ Ichabod then saw himself lay down on the grass as he watched his mother gracefully spin around by herself. She gained speed and seemed to lift off the ground, still calm and gracefully spinning._

_ Then he saw himself carefully peaking out from behind a door. He saw his father gripping his mother by the hair and shoved her down in front of the fireplace. He pointed to the markings she had drawn in the soot then dropped a thick Bible on top of them. He opened to a page and pointed to something before he yanked her back up. He saw his father lead his mother by the arm down a hallway. A door opened up and he saw that white room with the red carpet and red door. He saw the torture devices. Then he briefly saw an iron maiden with two wide eyes peering out at him from the top._

Ichabod woke with a start again. It was later in the day and grey light filtered through the window. He was breathing hard and he couldn't stand to think of what he had remembered.

Downstairs, Baltus, Katrina, Sarah, Artemesia, Lancaster, Steenwyck, Hardenbrook and Lady Van Tassel were in the parlor.

" This time, I will go to New York myself! I won't be fopped off by an amateur deducer!" Baltus exclaimed. Artemesia shook her head as she looked at the floor. If any were people out of the household that knew Ichabod well, it was her and Young Masbeth. And he wasn't an amateur. His methods were just different.

Upstairs Ichabod paced, spinning the optical illusion piece between his fingers. He was thinking. He stopped and looked at the door. He grabbed his coat.

Downstairs, Baltus continued.

" This time it's a _Magistrate_ that's dead-"

" Gentlemen!" Ichabod said appearing at the top of the stairs with Young Masbeth. They all looked up at him. " I need able men to accompany me into the Western Woods."

" _You!_" Baltus said. " We thought you had left!"

" I have faced my fears and emerged _determined_ to find the Horseman's grave. In short, to pit myself against a murdering ghost." Ichabod said with a proud smile. Lady Van Tassel crossed the room and took Katrina in her arms. Ichabod smiled a bit more and crossed his arms. " Who's with me?" Ichabod asked. No one answered, but Artemesia walked outside quickly.

" Me." Young Masbeth said.

After Ichabod and Young Masbeth had saddled their horses and were leading them towards their forest they heard a horse trotting behind them. They turned and saw Artemesia on her horse. Her hair was hanging in freshly washed loose curls and waves and she appeared determined.

" I'm going with you." She stated. Ichabod opened his mouth " No, no! You are not going to tell me that I cannot go. I am going and that is that."

" I wasn't going to say that you couldn't go. I was going to say that I hope you know the forest well." Ichabod said with a small smile. Artemesia jumped off her horse and threw her arms around him in a hug. She kissed him on the cheek then pulled back.

" Thank you." She said. " And don't worry. I know the woods well." She grinned and got back on her horse.

Ichabod stood there a moment in shock. He touched his cheek where her lips had been. He smiled at Young Masbeth for a moment before they both mounted their horses. And with that, they started into the Western Woods.

_Afterword:__ I hope you liked it! I really am on a roll with all the writing because I wrote almost the whole thing last night and wrote the last bit this morning. I think I finally found something to keep me occupied for the rest of the summer! =D Any way I love reviews! They're strongly wanted!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: __I do not own the movie Sleepy Hollow or the original story of the Headless Horseman_

Chapter Five

" The Van Garrett's, the Widow Winship, your father Jonathan Masbeth, and now Philipse." Ichabod said as he, Young Masbeth, and Artemesia rode through the misty Western Woods. " _Something_ must connect them." He looked at Young Masbeth. " Did your father have dealings with the Van Garrett's?"

" He worked for them. We lived in the coach house." They all stopped riding for a moment. " It's nothing!" He insisted. " But… there _is_ something that happened one night, a week before a murder. There was an argument upstairs between father and son. And my father was later sent for by Mr. Van Garrett."

" A fight… between father and son… Then the elder Van Garrett sent for his servant, Masbeth…" Ichabod said as he tried to think of what the argument could have been about. Artemesia and Young Masbeth were silent and looking around the woods.

" Listen…" Both said quietly. Ichabod looked around and listened.

" I hear nothing." He admitted.

" Nor I. No birds… no crickets… its all gone silent…" Young Masbeth said. Ichabod began to look panicked. The fact all creatures had gone silent did not put his mind at ease, especially after Artemesia had told them about the Western Woods Witch- the person they were trying to seek. After a second he straightened and tightened his grip on his reins.

" Quicken pace." He said as the three quickened their speed and continued to ride through the woods. The tree branches were bare, their leaves blanketing the ground and the mist curling around the bare trunks and treetops.

At one point they started to hear a female humming. An eerie, echo-y sort of humming that haunted them as they silently rode through the trees, and stopped when the say where the source of the humming had been coming from. They saw a large cave opening and they dismounted their horses. Slowly they made their way towards the entrance. Ichabod kept Artemesia behind him and Young Masbeth in front of him. He took Young Masbeth's shoulder in one hand and pulled a pistol from his coat with the other.

They pushed a door that lead inside of the cave open and saw an eerily decorated room full of candles, feathers and a large chair and large fireplace. A slouched figure sat in the chair.

" Pardon our intrusion." Ichabod said, training his pistol on the figure timidly. " But… we think that you can help us."

" You're from the Hollow." The female voice said.

" Yes." Ichabod said as they all inched closer. " Now… I shall like to say that I make no assumptions of your… occupation. No… your ways, witch- _which! _Which, which… _which_ are nothing to me… whatever you are. Each to his own." Ichabod said as they stopped a few feet behind the cloaked figure in the chair. The cloaking which the woman appeared to wear was thin and nearly transparent. She set a dead cardinal down on a stone beside her.

" O-oh…" Ichabod muttered. Artemesia had grabbed Ichabod's arm and was watching the figure fearfully. She wasn't afraid of much, but from the tales she had heard when she was a child, she was _very_ much afraid of this woman.

The woman stood and turned to face them slowly. She began to advance on them slowly, and they slowly inched backwards.

" D-do you know of the Horseman, Ma'am?" Young Masbeth asked timidly. " The Hessian?" The woman made a slicing gesture across where her throat would be with a slight sound effect. Ichabod blanched, and Artemesia's grip on his arm tightened and her breathing picked up.

" Th-that'll be him, Ma'am." Young Masbeth said as Ichabod turned them all around and started to walk quickly to the door. Suddenly the woman reached out and gripped Ichabod's shoulder and Artemesia's shoulder.

" You two. Come with me." She said in a hushed tone. Ichabod heard Artemesia quietly gasp in fear at the Western Witch's touch. He himself was trying not to act as scared as he was, but was having a hard time doing it.

" Go out child!" The Western Witch said to Young Masbeth as she turned Ichabod and Artemesia around and was leading them to a different area. " Stay away. No matter what you here stay away." She called. Young Masbeth quickly ran out, shutting the door.

The Western Witch led them to an area that contained a fairly large table, and two large chairs on opposite sides of the table. She sat Ichabod in one chair and went to sit in the other. Artemesia refused to release Ichabod's arm and just knelt beside his chair.

Her thin riding cloak fluttered around her and she realized she should be fairly embarrassed. She was shaking with fear, was gripping onto Ichabod's arm and almost had her face pressed into the sleeve of his coat. Her eyes almost never left the Western Witch. She had almost never shown her fear when she _was _afraid. But this had brought it to a different level. And she didn't care how weak she looked.

Ichabod looked down to her, fear plain on his face and in his eyes. She looked up at him and then back to the Western Witch. The table had a few candles on it as well as a knife and a few other things.

" Wh-what might he hear that he must stay away from?" He asked. The Western Witch locked shackles to her wrists, which were chained to the wall behind her. She lunged forward to make sure that she couldn't reach Ichabod and Artemesia. She began to pick up and rummage through things.

" He rides. To the Hollow and back. I hear him. I _smell_ the blood on him." She said as she threw powder onto a pile of something that smoked at the contact.

" D-do you?" Ichabod said. Artemesia had inched even closer to him. " Well… I'm here to _find_ him and make him stop." The Western Witch grabbed a wicker basket and when she lifted it small screeching came from inside it. She shook a bat out onto the table then gripped it, grabbing the knife.

" You seek knowledge of the Netherworld? I can show you!" She said and dragged the knife across the bat's neck, severing the head. Ichabod and Artemesia gagged at the sight. The Western Witch stabbed the knife into the table and squeezed the blood out of the bat's body onto the mixture on the table before her. Purple smoke drifted upwards. She tossed the body into a pool of water.

" Wh-what are you doing?" Ichabod asked.

" Don't move or speak. When the other comes, I shall hold him." The Western Witch insisted.

" Other?" Artemesia asked shakily.

" Silence! He comes!" She said and inhaled deeply a few times.

Outside Young Masbeth sat on a log, rubbing his arms to stay warm, blissfully ignorant of what was going on inside the cave.

Back inside, the Western Witch had her head bowed. She had been silent for a while. Artemesia and Ichabod exchanged a glance.

" Madam?" He whispered. " Madam, do you hear me?" After a moment of silence, Ichabod reached the arm that Artemesia wasn't holding onto, forward.

With a loud growl the Witch raised her head and both Ichabod and Artemesia jumped back at the sight they saw. The woman's hair was frizzy and white; her skin was wrinkled and purple, and most terrifying of all, three snakes- two holding the eyes and one coming out of her mouth- lunged towards them. The Witch lunged at them and managed to knock Ichabod's chair back, and she gripped his shoulders as she only managed to hover just above him. Artemesia was half collapsed beside Ichabod.

" You seek the warrior bathed in blood! The Headless Horseman!" She screeched in a double toned voice. " Follow the Indian trail to where the sun dies! Follow it to the Tree of the Dead! Climb down to the Horseman's resting place!" With the final words spoken, she collapsed on top of Ichabod, who was frozen and staring at the ceiling. Artemesia released his arm and pulled the Witch off him. She put her back in her chair and ran over to Ichabod.

She pulled him up and together they ran to the door. They walked quickly out the door.

" We are leaving!" Artemesia said only a few steps behind Ichabod.

" What happened?" Young Masbeth asked.

" We are leaving, _now_!" Ichabod said as they swiftly walked back to the horses, Young Masbeth quickly following.

As they began to trot down through the woods Ichabod repeated one line that the Witch had said.

" Follow the Indian trail to the Tree of the Dead." Ichabod said.

" How will we recognize it?" Young Masbeth asked.

" Without difficulty I'd rather favor…" Ichabod muttered.

" Climb down to the Horseman's resting place." Artemesia said.

" To his… camp?" Young Masbeth asked.

" To his _grave_." Artemesia corrected.

After a few minutes of silent riding, Ichabod stopped them. They spotted a figure moving a yard or so off. Ichabod dismounted his horse.

" Stay here." He said to Artemesia and Young Masbeth. He pulled his pistol and began to sneak through the trees, following the figure. He wove around trees and looked around as he tried to be as quiet as possible. The figure was cloaked and riding a white horse.

When he rounded a tree he saw the figure had stopped moving. He shakily held the pistol out and trained it on the rider.

" Halt and turn! I have a pistol aimed!" Ichabod said, trying to sound as confident as possible, but was betrayed by the slight shake in his voice. The figure dropped their hood, and looked at him.

Katrina raised an eyebrow as she stared at him.

" Katrina!" Ichabod said lowering the pistol. He wasn't sure whether to be scared or glad that Katrina had followed them. Never the less, she was still there. " I could have killed you! Why have you come?" He asked walking down the short incline down to Katrina and her horse.

" Because no one else would go with you!" She said. She hand not known that Artemesia had come with him and Young Masbeth.

" Well, now I am twice the man." He said with a smile as he took her hand. She smiled down at him. " It must be your white magic." Katrina leaned down towards him, as if she were about to kiss him. He stayed where he was but moved a step closer.

" Pardon my intrusion." Artemesia's voice said from the tree where Ichabod had stood only moments before. Ichabod and Katrina looked at her. She was leaning out from behind the tree, with a slightly concerned look on her face. " I think you better come and look at this." Was all she said before she ran back towards the horses, her grey riding cloak flying around her.

Ichabod released Katrina's hand gestured for Katrina to follow him. He was in thought as he led Katrina back to Young Masbeth and Artemesia. He wasn't sure what he would have done if Katrina _had_ kissed him. She was a beautiful woman, and she probably already had all the men in the Hollow falling for her. But, as he was told by Artemesia, she was being courted by Brom and was returning his affections. He shut his eyes a moment as he tried to shake the feeling he might actually have feelings for Katrina. But something nagged at the back of his mind.

They re-entered the clearings where Artemesia was holding Gunpowder's reins for Ichabod. She was sitting on her horse, and was looking at the ground. When Ichabod mounted Gunpowder and took the reins from her, he gave her a smile.

" Thank you." He said. She gave him a very brief smile before she straightened out her cloak. His eyebrows scrunched together. He knew Artemesia to be the kind of person to almost always reply to a thank you. But she seemed rather quiet. That something in the back of his head began to bother him again.

" So, what is it that you must show me?" He asked. Artemesia and Young Masbeth took the lead as they rode up to a small clearing. In the center there was a tall, large, twisted, black, dead tree.

Ichabod dismounted and stood, staring up at it. Artemesia stood beside him, gazing in awe at it. He glanced at her as Katrina stood on his other side, and Young Masbeth stood beside Artemesia.

" The Tree of the Dead." Young Masbeth said. Ichabod slowly walked forward and noticed something drip off the trunk. He looked closer and ran his fingers along the rough, ridged wood. When he pulled his hand back and looked at his fingers, he gagged. Crimson blood coated his fingers as he rubbed them together and walked towards Young Masbeth's horse.

" Blood." He said in a strangled manor when the others gave him a confused look. Katrina appeared disgusted at the thought, Young Masbeth looked slightly frightened, and Artemesia, ever one of the most interesting people, appeared intrigued and confused. Ichabod took a small axe off of the tools Young Masbeth had brought with them and walked back to the tree trunk.

" S-stay where you are." Ichabod said shakily gesturing for them to stay a few feet behind him. Artemesia took one step forward.

Ichabod began to hack at one of the roots. Thick, crimson blood began to seep from the cut in the wood. He swung at it again and a splash of blood landed on his coat. Ichabod blanched and gagged, but hacked at the root again. Blood spattered onto his cheek. He froze at the contact of the blood on his skin. He slowly looked behind him and saw that Artemesia had a small spatter of blood on her cheek. He turned back and lifted his arm up high.

With each and every hack, more blood would flow from the root and splash up at Ichabod, hitting most of his face, his coat, his shirt, his vest, his pants, and his hands. Bloody chunks of wood fell to the ground as he panted and swung a few more times. He tore off the root and tossed it behind him, where it nearly hit Artemesia and Young Masbeth, who was inching forward. Ichabod dropped the axe as he attempted to catch his breath. Ichabod yanked at a piece of the tree.

" What is it?" Young Masbeth asked as he stopped by Artemesia.

" Just… stay where you are." Ichabod repeated and looked back at them. Artemesia was watching him and had a few drops of crimson blood on her rose pink lips. Ichabod turned back and managed to pry the piece of the tree off.

When he dropped it they all saw what was inside the tree. All the bloodied heads of all the Horseman's victims. They lurched forward as if they were trying to get free. Young Masbeth hid his face in Artemesia's chest and she hugged him close, staring at the ghastly sight, stroking his hair comfortingly. Katrina gasped and covered her mouth in horror. Ichabod gagged with an audible sound and yanked out his handkerchief, and walked back over to the three. He turned and looked at the tree, covering his nose and mouth with the white piece of cloth.

As Artemesia was comforting Young Masbeth and Katrina had inched closer to them, Ichabod began to walk around the tree.

" This tree is the gateway… the gateway between worlds!" He said as he ran up the tangled mass of roots when he had spotted a sword that resembled that of the Headless Horseman's. When he stood on the ground by the sword he kicked at the dirt surrounding it.

" This ground has been disturbed. The soil is loose!" He ran forward and gripped the tree. " Bring the shovel!"

Artemesia and Young Masbeth ran to the horses. Young Masbeth grabbed the shovel and Artemesia grabbed two flasks of water. They ran up to Ichabod and Katrina followed. Artemesia snatched Ichabod's bloodied handkerchief and poured some of the water from one of the flasks onto it. She quickly wiped the blood from her face and handed the flask and wet handkerchief to Ichabod.

" Here. For your hands and face." She insisted. He gratefully took them.

" Thank you." He said as he began to clean his face and hands. Artemesia handed Katrina a flask and went over to Young Masbeth. She didn't bother to curtsy to Katrina, even though she _was_ her employer. At the moment, formalities were not needed.

OOOO

It was nightfall when Ichabod had finished digging up the Horseman's grave. The only thing left of the Hessian was his bones. But the skull was missing. Young Masbeth, Katrina and Artemesia were standing close by the front of the tree. Young Masbeth held a rifle, preparing to use it if necessary.

" The skull is gone. _Taken_. That is why the Horseman returns from the grave. To take heads, till his own is restored to him." Ichabod announced to them as lightning flashed. The wind picked up and the heads in the tree began to shift. Young Masbeth aimed his rifle as more lightning flashed. The heads began to shudder.

" Ichabod?" Katrina and Artemesia said as the three of them began to back away from the tree. Ichabod saw roots grip the bones of the Hessian and ran down to the trunk of the tree. A hoof emerged from through the heads, then the head of a large black horse. Then our leapt the Headless Horseman on his mighty black steed.

The horse reared up a few times and the Horseman held his sword high. Young Masbeth, Katrina, and Artemesia stared in shock as they saw the Horseman for the first time. Ichabod blanched and watched. The Horseman spun his sword and took off into the woods. Ichabod jumped down from the tree, nearly sprawling out on the leaf covered forest floor. He stood and physically jumped up onto Gunpowder. He then began to tail the Headless Horseman through the woods. He wanted to stop the Horseman. He wanted to figure out a way to stop him.

Ichabod made Gunpowder halt when he no longer saw the Horseman. Lightning flashed and illuminated the mist, as the only thing he heard was whiney of the Horseman's horse somewhere beyond.

_Afterword: __Hope you liked this chapter! I had so much fun writing it! =D I added Artemesia into the scene with Ichabod and the Western Woods Witch so I could show that despite the whole professional mask she has, she actually fears the Witch and the Horseman. And also that Ichabod makes her feel safe! =D_

_ I would love to thank __MonstarzGirl for reviewing the story. Thank you for reviewing! Reviews help me get motivated for writing the next chapter! I would love more reviews and the next chapter will be up very soon!_


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer:__ I do no own the movie Sleepy Hollow or the original story of the Headless Horseman_

Chapter Six

Brom and two other men sat on horseback near the Woods edge close to the Hollow.

" Let's split up. Glen." Brom said and gestured to the right. " Theodore." He gestured to the left. All three had rifles and were dressed in thick coats in attempt to keep the cold wind off. They split up and kept a look out for the Horseman.

Back at the house by the Livery, the very small little red-haired boy, Thomas, walked into his room and lit three candles in a metal lantern, which then cast spooky images of frightened cats, flying witches, and ghosts.

The red haired man sat out in the front room, picking at something stuck between his teeth.

" Don't pick your teeth! You'll teach Thomas bad habits!" The red-haired woman said, picking up his plate and turning around.

" I _am_ a bad habit!" He teased, pulling her down onto his lap with a smile. " There's nothing for it."

" Oh, isn't there?" She teased and kissed him for a moment. He smiled with a chuckle and allowed her to stand. He watched her go into Thomas' room. Thomas was watching the lamp slowly rotate and cast the images around the walls in the room.

The woman took his shoulders, smiled and kissed his head. She watched the eerie images drift and dance alone the way.

" Come on. Lets get ready for bed." She said to him.

" Yes." Thomas said with a small smile.

The man sat at the table and noticed that it was beginning to shake. He narrowed his eyes in a confused manor as lightning suddenly flashed. The flames in the fireplace behind him suddenly erupted and roared. He jumped and stared at the flames in shock.

The door was suddenly kicked and broke into pieces as the Horseman, gripping two axes stepped into the door. The man jumped up and tried to smash a chair on the Horseman, but he hacked it to pieces. The man shouted something to his wife and she quickly ran and shut Thomas' bedroom door.

The man tried not to be fearful as he attempted to protect his family. The Horseman was a gruesome sight with his worn battle armor and torn up cape. The man snatched a poker from the fireplace and turned, slashing at the Horseman. The Horseman dodged and continued to block his attacks. As he cornered the man on the mantle piece, he swung and barely missed as the man had ducked.

The woman lifted her son, Thomas, and carried him to the corner of his room. She kicked back a blanket and opened up a hatch in the floor.

" Get in, and stay quiet!" She said. He crouched down and covered his eyes as his mother shut the hatch door above him.

The man and the Horseman were still sparring. The man swung at him again and the Horseman yet again blocked using the handles of his axes. He knocked the poker from his hands and shoved him against the corner of the fireplace. With a quick hacking motion of the axe, the man's head fell off as blood squirted from his neck.

The woman hurriedly covered the hatch with the carpet again and cowered into the corner as the door slowly opened. The Horseman stopped in the doorway, gripping an axe in one hand and her husband's severed head in the other. He made his way across the room, over the spot where Thomas cowered beneath the floorboards and over towards the woman. She shut her eyes as he lifted his axe. She made a choked sound, which had meant to be a scream, but was cut off when the axe cut through her throat. There was a thud as her head rolled across the floor.

Thomas looked up and saw his mother's eyes peering at him through a crack in the floorboards. He scrambled away from the sight. The Horseman walked across the room again, the spurs on his armored boots clinking with each step. He stopped to pick up the woman's head and began to walk out towards the front door.

He froze at the doorframe as lightning flashed, illuminating the holes in his tattered, torn, ripped cape. He froze as he sensed something. He sensed _another_ heart beat. Another living thing. He spun around he swiftly walked to a certain spot in the floor, before sending his axe into the floorboards right into the spot just in front of Thomas. He kept hacking at the floorboards till there was a reasonable sized hole in the floor. He reached through and yanked Thomas up. Thomas let out an ear-piercing scream.

It was Brom who had heard that exact ear-piercing scream. He turned towards the sound before he spurred his horse into action.

The Horseman exited the house, lightning flashing as his put the final head into his bag, and yanked the drawstring shut, closing the bag. He got on his horse and began to ride off, straight towards the arriving Brom. Brom raised his rifle, aimed, and fired. The bullet hit the Horseman and he fell to the ground and didn't move. Brom slid off his own horse and began to walk towards the Horseman with determination. The Horseman sat up suddenly. Brom frowned, thinking that he had killed the monster.

The Horseman stood and marched his way towards Brom. Brom quickly knelt in attempt to load more gunpowder into his rifle, and the Horseman was less than a foot away. He began to walk straight past him, but as Brom made a move to assault him using his rifle as some sort of club, the Horseman drew his sword and stopped his blow. He disarmed Brom and continued to walk, spinning his sword.

Brom yanked a knife from his jacket and tossed it at the Horseman. It lodged its self in his back. He spun, yanked the knife from his back and threw it at Brom. It stabbed into his thigh and he winced in pain. The Horseman spun his sword again and began to walk towards the bridge.

Ichabod rode up on Gunpowder, saw Brom and his failing attempts to attack, and quickly dismounted. He froze as he saw Brom eye two curved blades stuck in some hay. He yanked the knife from this thigh and grabbed them. Ichabod ran to him, gripped his shoulders and tried to stop him.

" Wait! He's not after you!" Ichabod told him. He looked at him worriedly. Brom gave him a look then turned to face the Horseman.

" I'll get him!" He said and ran after him. Ichabod stood and stared for a moment as Brom and the Horseman fought. The Horseman was using his sword and an axe, and Brom was using two simple scythes. Ichabod grabbed a scythe that had a large pole attached to it and ran to help. After a few minutes of almost helpless fighting, Ichabod landed the scythe into the Horseman's back. Ichabod stumbled back in surprise that he had actually just managed to stall the Headless Horseman and grabbed Brom.

" We cannot win this!" Ichabod insisted as the two ran to the covered bridge, only a few feet away. Ichabod's sleeve cuffs were still stained with blood, and Brom was running with a limp. When they got to the other side of the bridge they stopped. They heard clunking footsteps. They turned but saw no one crossing through the bridge. They both slowly looked up.

The Horseman leapt from the top of the covered bridge and landed behind them. They spun around and the Horseman stabbed Ichabod right over his heart. Ichabod felt the searing pain as if a smooth piece of red-hot metal had pierced and sliced through his skin. He let out a gasp of pain as the Horseman lifted Ichabod with his sword and tossed him behind himself. Ichabod landed on his side with a hard thud.

Brom began to spar with the Horseman again, but this time things didn't appear to be going so well for him. The Horseman kept pressing Brom back towards the other end of the bridge. Ichabod looked up as Brom lifted his arms to attack the Horseman. The Horseman used both of his weapons to cut straight through Brom's middle. There was a large spray of blood as both halves of Brom fell to the bridge with a thump and the blood seeped in a puddle around his now lifeless body. The Horseman stood for a second before spinning his weapons with his gloved hands, turning, and calmly walking away.

Ichabod's mouth was open as he gaped in horror at the scene that had just played out before him. The searing in his chest began to spread though his body as his head started to spin. He heard someone shout his name before he fainted, head hitting the ground beneath him.

Artemesia was running down the street, panting as she approached the hopefully unconscious Ichabod on the ground. She tried to slow herself down but tripped over a rock and fell down beside him. She felt sharp pain where her hands scraped on stray rocks. She ignored the pain and sat up quickly. She got on her knees and gently took Ichabod's shoulders.

" Ichabod? Ichabod! _Please_ be alive!" She said shaking him very gently. She checked his pulse point on his neck. She felt his heart beat and she looked up to the bridge. She saw dark, crimson blood quickly pooling around Brom's body.

" Oh my God…" She muttered, becoming more concerned for Ichabod's well being. She gently moved him so he was laying flat on his back. His face was incredibly pale and sweat was beading on his forehead. She saw a cut on his jacket and gently stroked it with a finger. Ichabod let out a soft moan in his unconscious state. She didn't know how she managed to unbutton his jacket with her trembling fingers, but she did. She saw a bit of blood spreading from a spot on his chest.

She carefully pulled his shirt back a bit before she saw the cut. She gasped when she saw how deep it was. And the fact that it was also right over his heart. She carefully stood to her feet before lifting Ichabod and supported all of his weight. She managed to carry him to her horse and lift him onto it she climbed on behind him so she could keep him up by wrapping her arms around him, and rode as fast as she could back to the manor.

OOOO

About a half hour later Ichabod way laying in his bed with Doctor Lancaster sitting at his bedside, Baltus stood behind him and Artemesia stood in the doorway looking pale and worried.

" Remarkable…" Doctor Lancaster said as he looked at the wound. Ichabod's jacket and vest had been removed, and his shirt had been mostly unbuttoned and pulled open in order to be able to see the wound.

" A wound like this should have killed him! But there is no need for stitching and there was barely any blood loss." Dr. Lancaster announced. Ichabod gasped and lurched upward as he woke up. He was panting, was pale, and sweat was beading all along his face. Everyone jumped. " You must be still. The fever is upon you." Artemesia stepped in a bit more to see that the cut on Ichabod's chest was swelling slightly and the skin around it was red.

Ichabod felt the severe pain in his chest as it throbbed and stung. He clamped his eyes shut and he began to move his head back and forth on his pillow, clutching the quilt that covered most of the exposed area of his chest.

" K-Katrina!" He managed to mutter. Artemesia turned away again.

" I shall go fetch her." She said. Ichabod continued to mutter Katrina's name, but after Artemesia had left he had muttered her name once.

Artemesia came down the stairs into the kitchen. Katrina was finishing making a potion like concoction that was meant to help heal Ichabod. Her face and eyes were pink and red from crying after she had heard the news of Brom's brutal death.

" Miss Katrina?" Artemesia quietly asked. Katrina looked at her but said nothing. " Ichabod has asked for you."

Katrina and Artemesia returned upstairs. Katrina walked to Ichabod's bedside with the cup of her mixture.

" Katrina!" Ichabod whispered when he saw her. " I tried to stop Brom but he wouldn't listen, he-"

" Shh… Drink this down. It will make you sleep." She said holding the cup out.

" The Horseman was not sent to kill Brom or me. Had Brom not attacked him-" Ichabod began.

" Later. Rest now." Baltus insisted.

" I have discovered something!" Ichabod rushed, lifting his head to look at Artemesia for a moment then to Baltus. " The Horseman does not kill at random. The victims are chosen by someone who controls him. By the very person who took his skull. Someone who knew where to dig. Someone of flesh and blood. As I've always said."

Dr. Lancaster looked a bit nervous during Ichabod's rant.

" These are ravings!" Baltus said gently.

" Here. Drink." Katrina insisted, helping Ichabod drink the liquid. Once he had, his head fell back onto his pillow and his eyes closed. Lady Van Tassel walked in and looked at the sickly Ichabod. Artemesia was biting her lip as she looked at him. He was panting and slowly his breathing returned to normal as he drifted into sleep.

_In his sleep Ichabod saw that white room again with the white pews, red carpet and red door. He as a child cowered against one of the pews as he saw his father exit the room that the red door led to. His father wore a black cloak, and he had a smirk painted on his face. As he passed Ichabod, Ichabod noticed that from behind his father appeared headless due to the height of the collar on his cloak._

_ As his father left the white room, Ichabod looked to the door and heard his mother softly calling for him. He walked to the door and it opened, revealing a dark stone room filled with horrid torture devices, and at the very back he saw an iron maiden. He walked inside and walked toward the iron maiden, passing a chair, which had sharp spikes on the handles of it. He stopped in front of said chair when he heard his mother call him again. It sounded like it was coming from the iron maiden. _

_ He looked up and saw the two beautiful brown eyes he knew so well peering out at him from an open slat at the top of the iron maiden. He jumped back in surprise as he saw the blood on the skin of her nose that was visible. He fell against the chair and braced his hands against the spikes. The spikes dug deeply into his skin and bright red blood poured down his pale hands. He looked back to the iron maiden as it slowly creaked open._

_ A wave of blood flooded out and splashed to the floor as his mother's body, riddles with holes lurched forward at him._

Ichabod woke with a start, sitting straight up and right into the arms of Katrina, who had been sitting on the edge of his bed. He hugged her as she lightly hugged back, rubbing his back.

" Shh… you were dreaming." She said.

" I was…" He said breathlessly. " Things I had forgotten…" He looked at his hands and the scars on the palms of his hands were bloody. " And would not like to remember…"

" Tell me what you dreamt." She said very quietly.

" My mother was an innocent… a child of nature. Condemned. Murdered. By my father." He said without thinking or questioning whether or not he should tell her this.

" Murdered by…?" She said pulling back to look at him.

" Murdered to save her soul. By a Bible-black tyrant behind a mask of righteousness. I was seven when I lost my faith." He said looking at the floor and straightening up.

" What _do_ you believe in?" Katrina asked. Her eyes were still rimmed with pink and her cheeks were flushed.

" Sense and reason. Cause and consequence. I should not have come to this place. My rational mind has been played with by ideas of the spirit world." Ichabod said quietly glancing about the room.

" If you do take anything from Sleepy Hollow, take the kiss I had given you on your first day." Katrina said quietly.

" I must beg forgiveness. I speak of my own troubles and you ask me to take your kiss and you have just lost your brave man, Brom." Ichabod apologized. Katrina gently took his hand for a moment.

" I still grieve for Brom. But you also have problems that need to be spoken of." She gave him a small, brief smile. He nodded in return.

" I think I will attempt to get more sleep." Ichabod said noticing it was becoming hard to keep his eyes open. Katrina nodded and stood.

" I hope you do not have anymore fearful dreams, Ichabod. Good night." Katrina said before exiting the room. Ichabod lay down and shut his eyes. He sighed and begged for dreamless sleep as he drifted off.

He didn't get what he had begged for. He was riddled by the memory of finding his mother's pale, bloodless, lifeless body. He quickly sat up and found himself in someone's arms again. But they weren't Katrina's. He felt a hand stroke his hair gently and comfortingly as the person's arms wrapped warmly around him. He was panting again and his chest still ached a bit. He pulled back slightly to find himself in the arms of Artemesia. She had a worn and worried look on her face.

" Are you alright?" She asked placing a concerned hand on his shoulder.

" Y-yes. I believe so… but it appears I have a tendency to wake up and find myself in the arms of a woman. First Katrina. Now you." He said as he glanced down at his hands. The scars were still bloody.

" I was worried about you. I found you after you had fainted and Brom had been murdered. I discovered your wound and rushed you back to the manor." Artemesia said quietly releasing him. She still hadn't changed from her grey-blue cotton dress. It was worn and was obvious she had had it for a long time. Her hair was in a loose mess around her face.

" Then I must thank you again. For the second time that you have saved my life." Ichabod said with a small smile to her. She smiled back.

" So, what were you dreaming about?" Artemesia suddenly asked. He looked at her a bit startled.

" Wh-what?"

" While you were sleeping you appeared distressed in a way that people appear when they have bad dreams. What did you dream?" She asked again.

" I… didn't really dream. I remembered. I remembered that… that my father had been the one who murdered my mother. He was trying to save her soul." Ichabod repeated for the second time that night.

" Oh, God… I'm so sorry." She said taking his hand. " He was trying to save her soul?"

" He was a priest. He thought my mother was a witch." Ichabod said quietly. Artemesia hugged him tightly for a moment before she noticed the bloodied scars on his hands.

" Your hands!" She exclaimed turning his hand over.

" It's nothing. They're scars from when I fell onto a set of spikes when I found my mother…" He gulped. " Dead." Artemesia quickly grabbed something to wipe the mysterious blood from his hands. Once she hand done such, she pulled a necklace from around her neck. A piece at the bottom was in a slightly oval shape and a beautiful red cardinal was painted on the front. The small painting was faded from age and Artemesia smiled as she held it.

" This had been my mother's. She painted the cardinal on it when she was pregnant with me. When I had turned fourteen she gave it to me for a birthday gift." Artemesia said, holding it out to Ichabod.

Ichabod gently took it and carefully let his fingers slide over the painting of the cardinal. He noticed it was painted on a piece of metal, but it appeared to have another side attached on the back. He suddenly realized it was a locket. He gently opened it to find nothing inside.

" You have nothing inside." He said looking up at her. She smiled a bit.

" I found nothing to put in it. I had been thinking of painting my parents names inside it, but I never got around to it." She said as she looked off. He handed the locket back to her and she put it back around her neck.

There was a loud sound as someone in the house shut a door too loudly. Artemesia jumped with a small gasp, nearly falling off the bed. Ichabod caught her and helped her steady herself.

" Are you alright?" He asked concerned. Artemesia had cared for him whenever he had fainted and she had found him and whenever something bad had happened. He couldn't help but feel concerned for her wellbeing.

" Yes." She said laughing lightly and nervously to herself. " I can't help but be a bit… jumpy." She admitted.

" Did you see Brom…" Ichabod trailed off with worry.

" No! No! And I'm glad I didn't. But when I found you I did find him. The sight was horrible. So much blood…" She said looking down at the floor, her face in a mask of fear. Ichabod carefully stretched over to his jacket and pulled his optical illusion piece from his pocket.

" May I show you something?" Ichabod asked. Artemesia looked at him. She nodded.

" Of course. What is it?" She asked with curiosity.

" Something that made me feel better when I was a child." He held up the optical illusion piece. " On one side is an image of a cardinal in flight. On the other is an empty cage. Now watch." He smiled at her as he began to roll the thread between his fingers and the images spun and became one.

Artemesia gasped with a large smile. She laughed as she watched the images.

" That is amazing! Is it magic?" She asked smiling at him as he continued to roll the thread between his fingers. He smiled back.

" No. It is called optics. It is when two images become one in the spinning. It is the truth, but truth is not appearance." He explained as he watched her face. She listened with a curious look in her eyes as she absorbed the information. " I used to think it was magic when I was young." He admitted with a smile.

" It certainly appears so. If I will be allowed to, I think I may have to one day make a trip to New York to find a book on optics." She said with a genuine smile. He grinned at her and held out the toy to her.

" Would you care to try?" He asked. She grinned and nodded she carefully took it and placed the thread between her fingers. Slowly she began to roll it. She giggled quietly as she saw the images spin and become one in her hands. Ichabod watched the spinning images.

He remembered how happy he felt when his mother had dome the trick for him. And he saw the happiness in Artemesia's eyes when he had shown her. And he couldn't help but feel happy as he watched Artemesia try it. She appeared to have forgotten the horrors of Brom's demise and was transfixed on what was happening now.

Artemesia stopped spinning it and handed it back to Ichabod. She tucked her hair behind her ears.

" Thank you, Ichabod, for showing me that." She said.

" It was my pleasure." He said setting the piece down on his coat again. A candle burned on a table close to his bed creating the dim light in the room. Ichabod yawned.

" Well, I believe I should leave you to rest." Artemesia said with a kind smile. Ichabod chuckled.

" It does sound nice. I just wish that the memories don't come back." Said Ichabod with a drained tone to his voice. Artemesia put a comforting hand to his cheek. Her hand was warm and soft despite a few calluses on her fingers. She smiled sweetly at him.

" I'll stay to make sure they stay away." She said quietly. She leaned in and slowly kissed his cheek for a moment before pulling away. She smiled at him again before urging him to lay down. She pulled the blankets up around him before she stood from the edge of his bed.

Ichabod shut his eyes and remembered the touch of her hand on his cheek and her lips on his other cheek. He wasn't sure if she was really going to stay, but as he began to drift off, he heard a chair being brought over to his bedside.

And if there's something he remembered about his sleep that night, he knew that the memories didn't come back.

_Afterword:__ Hope you enjoyed it! I have to say I just __**had**__ to add in that sweet little bit between Ichabod and Artemesia at the end there. I just had to! =D Especially after all that death in the beginning._

_ I'd love reviews for this chapter! The next chapter will be up soon!_


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: __I do not own the movie Sleepy Hollow or the original story of the Headless Horseman_

Chapter Seven

The next morning the sky was overcast once again. The grey clouds drifted lazily across the sky and the sun was hidden from view. When Ichabod woke the next morning and looked to the chair beside the bed, Artemesia was not there. Instead, Lady Van Tassel was. He jumped a bit.

" Oh." He said quietly and sleepily. Lady Van Tassel's hair was pulled back and she wore a grey and black expensive looking dress patterned with flowers and a necklace clung close to her throat. She smiled at him.

" You slept like the dead." She said and reached forward to the table by the bed.

" You're too kind to me." He said as she poured him a cup of water. " I do not look to be served by the Lady of the house." Ichabod was now laying on top of the quilt and the wound's swelling had gone down.

" Oh, nor would you be. The servant girl has vanished." Lady Van Tassel said. Ichabod's eyebrows scrunched together.

" Artemesia?" He asked with worry.

" No. Sarah. She's run away like all the others." Lady Van Tassel said with a sigh as she cut an apple in half. " Leaving in fear."

" Where is Artemesia?" He inquired.

" Oh, that sweet girl. She watched you till dawn despite my and my husband's protests for her to get some sleep. She's taking her turn to sleep now." Lady Van Tassel said with a sweet smile before she turned and walked out. Young Masbeth walked in carrying a pitcher of water for a washbasin in the corner of the room.

" Well!" Ichabod said sitting up with a bit of effort. " I think I am fit for another day." He rubbed his sore arm, which he had landed on the previous night before. " Fit enough to face our mortal adversary."

oooOooo

After a few hours, Ichabod had finally finished writing down tons of information on separate pieces of paper as well as compiled a few family trees and spread it all out around his room. Ichabod was on his hands and knees, now fully dressed except for his coat, and snatched the paper that said _Doctor Lancaster_.

" Doctor Lancaster," Ichabod said slamming the paper down onto a trunk. " Reverend Steenwyck," He snatched the Reverend's paper and put it next to Lancaster's. " Notary Hardenbrook…" He looked around for the paper and found it beneath one of Young Masbeth's feet. He smacked his foot, which Young Masbeth lifted, snatched the paper and put it with the others. " And Magistrate Philipse." He put his paper down then picked it up again. " Who tried to cut and run. And lost his head." He tossed the paper over his shoulder.

Ichabod stood and went to the window for a moment.

" Four frightened men all arguing on the night that Magistrate Philipse was killed." He thought a moment as he pressed his hands together. " There's conspiracy here…" He trailed off. Unbeknownst to Ichabod or Young Masbeth, Artemesia stood in the doorway watching them with obvious curiosity. Ichabod swiftly walked to his desk and opened a small book for writing he brought with him. With a pen he scribbled down something.

" The Doctor… The Reverend." He said straightening up to look at the book. " The Notary… The Magistrate." He began to pace. " What is the secret that connects them?" He walked back to his book and wrote 'secret' above the word 'conspiracy', which he had written only moments before. " Magistrate Philipse knew that there were five bodies to four graves." He wrote '5 to 4'. " He _knew_ the widow was pregnant… and wouldn't tell me the name of the father." He began to pace again. " What does this point to?" He went back to the book and wrote 'Points to'. " We must proceed by a process of elimination. I shall make a list of every man and woman in Sleepy Hollow, starting with their chief citizen, Baltus Van Tassel." He jotted the name down. He smiled at Young Masbeth. " I feel we're getting very close."

" Yes. I suppose Baltus is the chief citizen, now that old Van Garrett is dead." Young Masbeth said as Artemesia stepped in the room quietly and slowly.

" Yes. The Van Garrett's. I had almost forgotten them." Ichabod said while going into thought.

" If you haven't written down all the people in the Hollow then what's all the paper on the floor for?" Artemesia asked gesturing to the papers. Both Ichabod and Young Masbeth jumped at the sound of her voice. " Sorry. Did I surprise you?" She asked.

" Yes. It appears you did." Ichabod said with a small smile.

" And to answer Young Masbeth's very clever assumption, yes, Baltus is the head citizen." Artemesia said patting Young Masbeth's shoulder. Ichabod slipped into thought. He quickly made his way over to the desk and opened the Bible that still sat there. He saw there was a family tree in the front of the Bible. He noticed the Van Garret branch and the Van Tassel branch. He suddenly shut the book, causing Artemesia and Young Masbeth to jump.

" Come with me." Ichabod said hiding a few of the papers in a trunk then grabbed his coat.

" Where are you going?" Young Masbeth asked.

" Notary Hardenbrook's." Ichabod responded.

" Have you thought of something?" Artemesia asked.

" Yes. I have." Ichabod said. " You're very much welcome to join us Artemesia." Ichabod said.

" I will be unable to. I must stay here to help around the house now that Sarah has disappeared. And with my own partial disappearance yesterday when I joined you. I'll clean up these papers for you and I'd love to hear what you find when you get back." Artemesia said tying her hair back.

Young Masbeth stood and helped Artemesia start to clean up a few papers by his chair as Ichabod buttoned up his coat.

" Artemesia?" Ichabod asked. She looked up at him and her blue eyes stared at him. She smiled.

" Yes?" She asked.

" Thank you for staying with me last night." Ichabod said quietly. She smiled a bit more.

" You're very much welcome." Artemesia said taking the papers from Young Masbeth and gesturing him to get his own coat.

" The memories did not come back." Ichabod told her. She smiled even more.

" I told you I was going to keep them away." Artemesia said getting onto her knees to put the papers in the trunk. " Now go. You have a mystery to solve." She smiled at him and Young Masbeth. They smiled back before they quickly left.

In the town everyone was running about in a panic. Some people were leaving and some were just trying to arm themselves in order to protect their families. Ichabod and Young Masbeth entered Notary Hardenbrook's shop to find the place in total disarray. Papers and books were piled and strewn everywhere- on tables, the floor, and in cabinets. Young Masbeth shut the door as Ichabod looked around at the horrid mess.

" Hopeless." He said. Together they carefully lifted a few things and as Ichabod turned to look in a cabinet, Young Masbeth saw something carefully leaned against the wall on top of a stack of paper.

" My fathers satchel." He said walking over to it. Ichabod turned to look at him. " What's it doing here?" Young Masbeth took his father's satchel and held it close. Ichabod turned around and opened the cabinet only to find Notary Hardenbrook standing in it. Ichabod gasped and jumped in surprise.

" Leave me alone." Said the old man. He stepped out of his cabinet hiding place and rudely brushed past Ichabod.

" Notary Hardenbrook-" Ichabod started.

" Leave me alone!" Notary Harden brook insisted. He sat in a chair.

" Only once you show me the Last Will And Testament of old man Van Garrett!" Ichabod said strongly as Young Masbeth watched on.

" The Will leaves everything to his son." Notary Hardenbrook said.

" Who _died_ with him! So the estate passes to the next of kin." He said smartly.

" Naturally." Notary Hardenbrook said. Young Masbeth had opened his father's satchel and pulled something sealed in wax out.

" Sir." He said holding it up. Notary Hardenbrook's eyes widened.

" I'm a dead man!" He exclaimed quietly. Ichabod took it and looked down at the seal of red wax.

" Van Garrett's seal. Broken!" He said an octave higher before he opened the paper. It was another Will and Testament. " It appears old Van Garrett made another will before he died. " Naming… Widow Winship?" He said in a confused manor.

" And here, Sir." Young Masbeth handed Ichabod another piece of paper. " A _marriage_ certificate."

" Uh huh!" Ichabod said taking it. Ah." He saw the names on it. Peter Van Garrett and Emily Winship. " So Van Garrett secretly married Winship and left everything to her and her unborn child. So the new Will stood between the fortune and the person who would have inherited _everything_." He looked down to the Notary.

" It's all true!" He said. " But we were all dragged into it against our will!"

" _Your_ will?" Ichabod asked confused.

" He means-" Young Masbeth started.

" Of course… The four town elders… Now I see what parts you had to play. Reverend Steenwyck knew the secret because he preformed the marriage. Doctor Lancaster attended the pregnant woman. Magistrate Philipse gave protection of the law. And Notary Hardenbrook hid the documents, which Van Garrett had entrusted to his servant. The four conspirators pulled into the plot!" Ichabod said as he pieced everything together. Notary Hardenbrook stood and walked over to a small table to grip onto.

" We didn't know it was a _murdering_ plot!" He said.

" But I am not finished, sir!" Ichabod said. " First, the Van Garrett's, father and son, are slain by a Headless Horseman brought back from the grave to chop head. Now up pops a widow with a claim on a fortune." Ichabod looked back at Young Masbeth. " Off with her head!" Young Masbeth's eyes widened as he listened to Ichabod.

" But murder begets murder. It was the servant, Jonathan Masbeth. The night father and son quarreled over the new Will. He was summoned upstairs to bare witness. Here is his signature." Ichabod pointed to Jonathan Masbeth's signature in the corner, showing Young Masbeth.

" I'm afraid it was his death warrant, Young Masbeth. The Horseman came for him. Came for him at the bidding of someone who had power over him. Someone who dug into the Earth in the Western Woods and stole his skull. The missing head, which must be returned to the Horseman before he can return to Hell. Someone who stood to gain or loose a fortune!" Ichabod said fairly loudly at Notary Hardenbrook, who was clutching his head as his listened. " None other than Van Garrett's next of kin. Baltus Van Tassel!"

Ichabod and Young Masbeth swiftly made their way back to the Manor. As they made their way upstairs towards Ichabod's room, Artemesia joined them so she may here what they had found. As they entered the now paper free room, which Artemesia had cleverly cleaned and hidden the papers, they saw Katrina sitting at Ichabod's desk.

" Katrina!" Ichabod said in surprise. She turned and looked at him. " Why are you in my room?" He asked.

" Because it is yours." She replied with a smile. Ichabod glanced around. She stood and looked at him, smile gone. " Was it wicked of me?"

" No. Not at all." Ichabod said, still clutching the papers they had found at Notary Hardenbrook's in his hands.

" I missed you. _Where_ did you go?" She asked with an emotionless look on her face.

" The Notary. I had questions to ask Hardenbrook." Ichabod said looking at the floor.

" And did you learn anything of interest?" Katrina asked. Ichabod, Young Masbeth, and Artemesia all glanced at each other.

" Perhaps." He said.

" My father-"

" You're father?" Ichabod asked quietly.

" Yes. My father thinks you should return to New York." Katrina said.

" Really? Why is that?" Ichabod asked as he walked over to his desk.

" I don't know. Perhaps he looked in your ledger and didn't like what he saw." They both looked down to the book he had been writing in earlier. He shut the book. " What have you there?" She asked eyeing the papers in his hand.

" Evidence." Ichabod replied opening a drawer in his desk. " Now I must ask you-"

" I will leave you to your thoughts." Katrina said turning and walking out, casting a glance at Young Masbeth and a particularly long one at Artemesia. Katrina paused at the doorway and watched Ichabod put the papers in his desk before leaving and shutting the door.

Ichabod looked down at the floor and gasped loudly. He stood on the desk chair quickly and gripped onto a beam that was above him. He pointed down at the floor when Artemesia and Young Masbeth gave him a confused look. He was pointing at a large hairy spider that was crawling across the floor under his bed.

" It's just a spider." Young Masbeth said.

" Kill it! Kill it! No! _Stun _it!" Ichabod exclaimed as it crawled beneath his bed. Young Masbeth knelt down and lifted the edge of the quilt to see under the bed. He noticed a pinkish hue on the floor. Ichabod had moved to stand on another chair by the corner of a wall by the foot of his bed.

" There's something under here." Young Masbeth said.

" What is it?" Ichabod asked with wide eyes and a look of worry.

" Help me move the bed." Young Masbeth said, gripping the corner of the bed.

" No, no. I mustn't. You do it." Ichabod said in a hushed, breathless voice. Ichabod gripped the wall as Young Masbeth and Artemesia pulled the bed away from the wall. The spider was now crawling across the floor and over a pink chalk design of a star in a circle with an eye in the center and many other small designs. Ichabod stared at it with confusion and Young Masbeth's eyes widened as well as Artemesia's.

" The evil eye. It is someone casting spells against you." Young Masbeth told Ichabod.

" The evil eye?" Ichabod questioned quietly as he stared at it.

Just after nightfall, the three were still in Ichabod's room. Young Masbeth was asleep in a chair with Artemesia resting her head sleepily on the armrest. Ichabod was writing things in his book by candlelight. He and Artemesia heard the door close below them. They looked at each other before waking up Young Masbeth and running out of the room and quietly downstairs. They paused on the stairs as they saw a cloaked figure walk out the door. The figure began to walk towards the woods and Ichabod, Artemesia and Young Masbeth all paused on the front porch as they watched the figure hold a lantern to light its way in the misty night.

" This has happened before." Artemesia said.

" It has?" Ichabod asked. She nodded as she watched the figure.

" I remember waking up a few times in the middle of the night and see a cloaked figure come out of the house. I don't know who it is." She admitted.

" Then lets follow them." Ichabod said as they then all quietly made their way down the porch steps.

They followed the cloaked figure through the woods and down slopes and up small hills. As the figure disappeared behind a large hill Ichabod stopped.

" Stay here." He whispered and pulled his pistol again and began to follow the figure again. Artemesia rolled her eyes and looked at Young Masbeth. She quickly began to follow Ichabod, leaving Young Masbeth to wait. Ichabod turned to see Artemesia.

" Why are you-"

" I will _not_ let you go out here on your own _especially_ after what happened last night!" She whispered to him. There was genuine concern in her eyes. Ichabod nodded after a moment and they continued to walk towards where the figure had disappeared. They heart panting and gasping and they glanced at each other as they made it to the crest of the slight drop of where they saw a man hovering over a woman, kissing her neck. Ichabod and Artemesia's eyes widened and they glanced at each other awkwardly. Artemesia had to cover her mouth when she saw who the woman was.

Lady Van Tassel was calmly laying on a blanket on the ground. She looked down at the man and stretched her arm out. She grabbed a knife and held it above the man's back. Before Ichabod or Artemesia could yell out to the man, Lady Van Tassel dragged the knife down her palm before smearing the blood from the cut on the exposed skin of the man's back.

Both looking slightly sick, Ichabod and Artemesia turned around and walked away. Neither of them said anything on their way back to the Manor. As they walked back into Ichabod's room, Ichabod had his hand on his chest and still looked slightly sickened. Then he froze as he spotted something unusual about his desk. He quickly ran over and opened the drawer. The Will and the Marriage Certificate were both gone. He suddenly knew who had taken them.

Ichabod rode Gunpowder to Katrina's old home's ruins. Katrina sat by the fireplace where a fire now burned and the papers were engulfed in flames. He got off of Gunpowder and walked through the doorframe.

" Katrina. You took the evidence and burned it." He said brushing his hair from his face.

" So that you man not have it to accuse my father." She said with a tinge of hatred to her voice.

" I accuse no one." Ichabod said walking over to her. " But if there's guilt I can not alter it, no matter how much it grieves me. And no spells of yours can alter it either." Katrina was looking at him and pure hatred burned in her eyes. " Your father has the motives. It is he who profits from the murders."

" If you knew him you would not have such harsh thoughts for him." Katrina spat.

" I am opinioned through reason! Why else would his four friends conspire to conceal-" He was cut off by Katrina who gave him a teasing smirk.

" You're the Constable. Not I. So find a different chain of reasoning and let me be." She said looking away from him.

" I cannot. Not the one or the other. And it makes me slightly heart sick to say such." Ichabod said emotionlessly.

" I believe you _have no heart_. I had the mind once to give you mine." Katrina said.

" I believed that you had loved me the day you had followed me into the Western Woods. But you only have feelings and thoughts for Brom. And I realize that now. But you still braved the peril to try to trick me." Ichabod said turning to face her.

" What _peril_ was there for me if it was my own father who controlled the Headless Horseman." She said as she made her way back to her horse and climbing on to it. She turned her head to glare at the man who stood alone in the ruins of her old home.

" Good bye Ichabod Crane. I curse the day you came to Sleepy Hollow!" Katrina told him venomously as her horse reared up before she took off.

OOOO

" She will not see you." Lady Van Tassel said to Ichabod as she put a ladle into a pot that hung over the fire in the kitchen.

" Did she… say anything?" Ichabod asked in a monotone.

" Only that you would not come down." She replied as she winced and moved the heavy pot-like ladle to the table.

" Ah. I see." Ichabod said turning away.

" Constable. You have not asked me how I hurt my hand since yesterday." Lady Van Tassel said. Ichabod froze. It was sunny at the moment but who knew how long that would last. " Which would have been polite." She walked to stand behind him. " In fact, you've been trying your hardest _not_ to look at it, as not to mention it." She held out her hand for him to see the inflamed cut on the center of her left hand.

" Oh! Y-yes. I'm s-sorry. How did you-" He began.

" I _know_ you and Artemesia saw me." She whispered.

" What?" Ichabod tried to ask innocently.

" I _know_ you followed me last night. And you _must promise_ me you will not tell my husband what you saw." Ichabod refused to look at her. " _PROMISE_ me." She said making him jump. He didn't have time to say anything as the door clattered open and Baltus walked through. Ichabod and Lady Van Tassel turned to look at him.

" The town is terrified! Horror! Tragedy! Notary Hardenbrook was found dead!" Baltus exclaimed.

" What?" Gasped Lady Van Tassel, placing a hand on her chest. " That harmless old man?"

" He hanged himself in the middle of the night!" Baltus said as he poured himself a cup of water.

" Hanged himself?" Ichabod asked with surprise.

" Reverend Steenwyck has called a meeting in the church tonight. Every man, woman, and child is going to speak out against _you_." Baltus said looking at Ichabod. His eyes widened. " If you are wise you will leave this place!"

Lady Van Tassel reached out with her injured hand to stroke Baltus' cheek but he gasped and took her hand.

" My dear, what happened?" He exclaimed.

" Oh! I was careless with a kitchen knife." She said with a tone in her voice that sounded nearly like she was apologizing for it.

" The wound looks angry." Baltus said.

" I'll bind it later with some wild Arrow Root flowers." She said as she watched Ichabod run upstairs. " I know where some grow." She smiled.

Later in the evening Lady Van Tassel was crouched by the edge of the forest, picking flowers that she could use to help heal her wound. The church's bells were tolling and the whole town was beginning to file into the church.

Lady Van Tassel hummed as she picked the flowers and put them in a basket. Baltus rode up on his horse. Lightning began to flash.

" Come on hurry up, the meeting bell has started tolling." Baltus said. She smiled up at him and inhaled the flowers scent. Baltus looked into the forest and his eyes widened. He saw the Headless Horseman approach Lady Van Tassel. He unsheathed his sword and raised it high.

Reverend Steenwyck was looking as always like a startled owl. He stood at the chapel door as he watched the towns people file inside. Ichabod and Young Masbeth watched from the corner of the covered bridge. They heard running behind them and turned to see Artemesia running towards them. Her hair had probably been pulled up but it was falling in loose messy waves and curls as she ran towards them and she hadn't bothered with any sort of jacket.

" Artemesia! I thought you'd be at the meeting." Ichabod said as she stopped and caught her breath beside him.

" Why on _Earth_ would I be at the meeting? They're trying to get rid of you!" Artemesia panted. She groaned and leaned against the side of the bridge. " I am never running all the way here from the Manor ever again." She muttered as She finally caught her breath. They all continued to watch the crowd file into the church. Baltus charged down the dirt road shouting,

" Horseman! Katrina!" Katrina spun around and fought her way to get to her father.

" Father?" She asked.

" Katrina! The Horseman, save me!" He jumped off his horse and ran to her. He took her by the shoulders. " He killed her! The Horseman killed your step-mother!"

_Afterword:__ I hope you liked it! I hope there aren't many spelling mistakes like the other chapters- I write a __**lot**__ of these chapters wicked late at night when I'm about to fall asleep. But I love it! I would love, love, love, love, __**love **__to thank __MonstarzGirl for reviewing again! Your reviews keep me motivated to write!_

_ I love reviews and the next chapter will be up very soon!_


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own the movie Sleepy Hollow or the original story of the Headless Horseman_

Chapter Eight

Lightning flashed and thunder growled menacingly as the Horseman galloped down the road. Ichabod blanched and Baltus and Katrina ran into the church. Artemesia, Young Masbeth, and Ichabod ran into the churchyard and past two brave townsmen who shot their rifles at the Horseman before running inside the church.

The doors shut once everyone was inside and Ichabod and Artemesia turned around to see the hysteria. People were panicking and screaming and men were readying their rifles. Katrina was rushing forward to follow her father. Baltus had pushed his way the front of the church and Reverend Steenwyck grabbed him by the front of his jacket.

" YOU! You'll kill us all! _YOU'RE _the one the Horseman wants!" The Reverend growled at Baltus. Katrina sank to her knees, shut her eyes, and began to draw something on the floor.

Ichabod and Artemesia rushed to a window and looked out. The Horseman wasn't entering the churchyard. He tossed an axe and when it hit the ground it disintegrated. The Horseman began to run around the white fence around the churchyard searching for a way to get in. Ichabod and Artemesia looked at each other.

" The Horseman cannot enter here." Artemesia said realizing the same thing Ichabod realized. They moved out of the way as townsmen ran to the windows and shattered the glass and began to shoot at the Horseman. Young Masbeth even shot at the Horseman. He smirked thinking even if he didn't hit him he had done something brave. Ichabod and Artemesia ran to the Reverend and Baltus.

" The Horseman cannot enter!" Ichabod called to them as they finally made it to the front of the church.

" _Why_ should we die for you!" Steenwyck demanded Baltus, still gripping his coat.

" The Horseman cannot enter here, he cannot cross the gate!" Ichabod said trying to stop them.

" We have to save ourselves!" Steenwyck growled at Ichabod. Baltus reached into Ichabod's coat and took his pistol. He shoved Ichabod back, who accidentally grabbed onto Artemesia and the two fell into a pew. Baltus pulled away from Steenwyck and pointed the pistol at him and Doctor Lancaster.

Back at the windows, Young Masbeth was pouring more gunpowder into his rifle.

" He's coming back!" Some one shouted as they broke more windows in attempt to get better shots at the Horseman. He was riding through the graveyard towards the back of the church.

" Too many have died already. It's time we must confess our sins." Doctor Lancaster said.

" What is it that you know?" Baltus asked shakily holding the pistol.

" You're four friends played you false." Doctor Lancaster said. Reverend Steenwyck grabbed a cross as Lancaster turned to him. " We were devilishly possessed by one who-" He was forever cut of as Steenwyck smashed the cross on the top of Lancaster's head. Baltus shot at Steenwyck and the two men fell to the floor bleeding and dead.

Artemesia resisted the urge to scream by once again gripping Ichabod's arm. Ichabod stared at Baltus in shock. Katrina's eyes flew open from where she was drawing and she stood as she watched her father in confusion. A surge of people converged on Baltus and he dropped Ichabod's pistol and grabbed someone else's gun. He ran up to the raised spot where Reverend Steenwyck would have preached.

Outside the Headless Horseman grabbed a length of rope and yanked off a spike from the wooden fence. He put them in one hand and continued to dodge bullets.

" Back! Back!" Baltus said backing up the steps to the platform. " BACK!" He pointed the gun at the group of people.

The Horseman tied the rope to the spike to make a sort of makeshift harpoon.

" There is a conspiracy here!" Baltus shouted holding up the gun to the nearly silent group of people in the church. " And I will seek it out!" Katrina glared at Ichabod, for he had been one of the first ones to talk of conspiracy. Ichabod watched on helplessly.

There was a shattering sound of glass as the Horseman's makeshift harpoon smashed through the window behind Baltus and cut directly through his chest, sending blood splashing everywhere. Katrina screamed with horror as she ran to try to get to her father. Ichabod and Artemesia jumped up and ran after her in attempt to stop her. Everyone in the church started to panic even more.

Baltus was yanked backwards through the window and into the churchyard below. He groaned and gurgled. He was still alive and the Horseman began to gallop away, dragging Baltus behind him. Once Baltus' head had come through the fence and was a clear shot for the neck, the Horseman began to charge back towards him.

Katrina ran to the window with Ichabod and Artemesia as they watched in horror. Young Masbeth pushed his way to the front of the crowd. The Horseman drew his sword and swiftly sliced downward. Baltus' head came off and blood leaked from his severed neck as his body went limp. Artemesia hid her face in Ichabod's chest and he held her there as he gagged and paled. Katrina gasped, covered her mouth and fainted.

Artemesia pulled away from Ichabod and they looked down at Katrina. Ichabod's eyes widened as he looked at the pink chalk dust on her fingers. Katrina had been holding a piece of pink chalk. He and Artemesia looked past her and the two dead men on the ground to the isle between the two rows of pews. In front of Young Masbeth was the same symbol that had been beneath Ichabod's bed. Young Masbeth looked over to Ichabod and Artemesia and they looked down at Katrina.

OOOO

Ichabod stood in Katrina's room. She was asleep and looked peaceful. He could say he was surprised that she had been the one who drew the symbol. But he could not say that. He had only wished he realized that it was her earlier. He nodded and looked at the floor.

" Good bye Katrina." He said before walking to the kitchen where a fire still burned in the fireplace.

He stood by the fire and pulled out the book that had served almost as a journal of sorts to him while he had been in Sleepy Hollow. He opened it and looked at the doodles and sketches he had done when he had first come. A few of them were of Katrina. Some of them were flowers. Some were small hearts. He turned a few pages and found a few he had done involving Artemesia. He did one of her hands. He remembered that her hands helped comfort him, helped save him when he had fainted, and also comforted Young Masbeth. He drew her eyes, which usually showed her emotions. He shut the book quickly and dropped it into the fire. He watched it as flames began to eat at it. He pulled out the book Katrina had given him. He began to contemplate what to do with it, but the carriage he had ordered to come arrived.

Young Masbeth and Artemesia followed him as he walked through the front door.

" You think it was Katrina don't you?" Young Masbeth asked.

" That can never be proved." Ichabod said as he knelt down to rearrange something in his bag as Artemesia and Young Masbeth stopped at the railing. " But you cannot argue that it would make sense." Young Masbeth looked down and said nothing.

" It doesn't mean that you have to leave." He said quietly.

" I have good reason." Ichabod said hurriedly.

" Then you are bewitched by reason!" Young Masbeth said as tears filled his eyes.

" I am beaten down by it!" Ichabod said with a hard edge to his voice as he looked to the young boy and stood as he looked at Artemesia. Her sky blue eyes had turned slightly grey and were watering up. " It is a hard lesson to learn Young Masbeth. That villainy wears many masks. None so dangerous as the mask of virtue." Ichabod handed his bags to the carriage driver.

Ichabod looked at Young Masbeth. Tears were falling down his cheeks. Ichabod patted his shoulder. He turned to face Artemesia and before he could say anything she flung her arms around him in a tight hugs. She had her face in his neck and he felt her shaking as she cried. He hugged her back and buried his face in her hair for a moment. Her hair smelled like wild flowers in a field.

" God I'm going to miss you…" She muttered into his neck.

" I'll… I'll miss you too Artemesia." He said quietly as he pulled back. She wiped at her eyes and smiled the best she could at him. Ichabod looked at his two tear stricken acquaintances- no. He couldn't call them that. They were his friends. He saw his two tear stricken friends and couldn't stand to be there on that porch any more.

" Farewell." He said before making his way down the porch steps to the carriage. He got in and gave Young Masbeth and Artemesia one last glance. They were hugging each other and Young Masbeth had his face buried in her chest. Ichabod could make out the words Artemesia said to him.

" I'm going to miss him too…" She murmured to Young Masbeth. Ichabod watched them hug as the carriage lurched forward. The two turned to tearfully watch the carriage carry Ichabod off.

Katrina, from her room, watched him leave. After the carriage was out of sight, she turned around and went downstairs.

Inside the carriage, Ichabod pulled out the optical illusion piece and looked at it in his hands. He began to roll the string between his fingers and watched the images become one. They started to go through town and slowed down a bit as two men began to carry Lady Van Tassel's body into Doctor Lancaster's old office. He looked out the window and looked closely at the hand. As the body disappeared out of sight he sighed and continued to watch the images. Suddenly he thought of something and pulled Katrina's book out of his coat. He found the image that Katrina had drawn. It wasn't the evil eye. It was a protection spell. Even if she didn't love or care for him at all, she wasn't the one who had controlled the Horseman. And he thought he had an idea of who it was.

He leaned out the coach window and shouted to the driver,

" Turn around!"

" What?"

" Turn the coach around now!" He ordered.

Katrina was sitting in the Van Tassel manor staring out the window. She felt alone now that her father and stepmother were gone. Her heart was broken ever since Brom's death. And she couldn't handle it. Artemesia was fetching Katrina's tea and Katrina sighed.

Ichabod and the carriage stopped in front of Doctor Lancaster's old office. When he was allowed to enter he said,

" Pardon the intrusion." He walked inside and found two coffins. He tossed off one lid and found Baltus' body. He turned to the other and found 'Lady Van Tassel's' body. He took the cut hand.

" No blood flow… no clotting… no healing…" He slowly put the hand down. " When this cut was made, this woman was already dead."

Katrina heard footsteps approach her. She thought it was Artemesia and didn't bother to look at her. When she didn't hear her say anything she turned to look at her. She gasped as she stood.

Lady Van Tassel walked into the room wearing an elegant black and white dress with an elaborate design.

" My dear stepdaughter." She said to Katrina as Katrina's face paled to almost paper white. " You look as if you've seen a ghost." Katrina fainted and hit the floor and Lady Van Tassel smiled a bit. Artemesia walked in carrying a tray of tea and a cup with a few flowers. She froze when she saw the unconscious Katrina and Lady Van Tassel. She gasped and dropped the tray. The teapot and cup and vase shattered, spilling water and hot tea everywhere. Lady Van Tassel turned and looked at Artemesia.

" It appears you may not be as reliable as I thought you were." She said looking down at the shattered china. Artemesia stared for a moment before acting exactly like Ichabod. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she fainted.

Ichabod ran back to the carriage to find the driver gone. He got into the driver's seat and whipped the reins. The horses lurched forward and he was on his way back to the Manor.

Young Masbeth walked through the Van Tassel Manor searching for Artemesia when he got to the parlor he saw the shattered teapot and teacup. He ran to the porch and saw the old windmill in the distance. No one had used it in years. But there was light coming from the doorway.

Inside the windmill, Katrina and Artemesia were unconscious on the ground. A gloved hand reached out and took a lock of Katrina's hair. Lady Van Tassel cut a chunk off and did the same with a strand of Artemesia's hair. She knelt by the fire she had made. She dropped both locks of hair into the fire.

" Raise once more, my dark avenger!" Lady Van Tassel said with a grin. " One more night of beheading! Two heads for a head." She set his skull by the fire. " Raise once more! Come! Come for Katrina and Artemesia!" She said.

Back at the tree of the dead the Horseman jumped through the opening in the tree and made his way towards the mill.

Katrina and Artemesia both slowly woke up.

" Ah. Finally you awake. Did you think it was all a bad dream?" Lady Van Tassel asked with a smirk.

" My father saw the Horseman kill you." Katrina said.

" He saw the Horseman coming towards me with his sword unsheathed." She stood and towered over the two women. " But it is _I_ who govern the Horseman and Baltus did not stay to watch."

Ichabod finally arrived at the Manor, and saw the windmill. He then turned around and started for the windmill.

" But… but there was a body!" Artemesia said.

" That was the servant girl, Sarah. And I always thought she was useless!" Lady Van Tassel laughed as she remembered chopping Sarah's head off herself. " But it seems she had a purpose after all.

" Who are you?" Katrina asked with horror.

" My family name… is Archer." She said.

" _The_ Archer?" Katrina whispered remembering the Archer carved in the back of her old fireplace.

The Horseman was nearing the windmill, and he was ready to kill.

" I lived with my father, mother and sister in a cottage not far from here. But one day my father died, and my landlord after having so many years of work from my parents, evicted us! No one in this town would take us in because my mother was accused of witchcraft! But she taught her daughters well as we lived in the Western Woods. My mother died within a year." Lady Van Tassel explained.

Ichabod was rushing to get to the windmill before anything horrible happened to either of the two women. Lightning was flashing making him more apprehensive.

" My sister and I remained in our refuge, seeing not a soul. Until, one day, whilst gathering wood, we crossed paths with the Hessian. I watched his death. From that moment I sold my soul to Satan. I would only do it if he could raise the Hessian from the grave to avenge me." Lady Van Tassel said facing the fire remembering each and every memory as if it happened only the day before.

The Horseman and Ichabod were almost the same distance from the windmill. Ichabod wanted to save them. The Horseman wanted to kill them.

" Avenge you?" Artemesia asked.

" Against Van Garrett! The landlord who kicked us out and left us to starve. Whilst Baltus Van Tassel and his… _simpering_ wife and girl child took our home. I swore to become mistress of all the land. The first part was the easiest." As Lady Van Tassel began to explain, Artemesia saw Young Masbeth quietly creeping in. " To enter the house as your sick mother's nurse and put her body into the grave! Then put my own in the marriage bed. Securing my legacy wasn't so easy.

" The widow had to go of course. And the servant Masbeth." Young Masbeth was silently watching and trying to find a weapon of some sort. " Then the other day that _silly_ midwife, Killian, told me that the widow had told her a big secret! And she told it right in front of her husband! And that silly little goose she called a son. Just another job for the Horseman." She explained.

" But, _lust_ delivered Reverend Steenwyck into my power." Lady Van Tassel said. Artemesia suddenly realized that _he_ had been the man in the woods with Lady Van Tassel that night. Fear did the same for the Notary Hardenbrook and the drunken Philipse. And the silence I got from the Doctor was the fact I knew about his romance with the servant girl, Sarah."

" Yes. You have everything now." Katrina said.

" No! _You_ do! Because of your father's Will! I get _everything_ in the event of _your death_." Lady Van Tassel hissed.

" Then why do you want to kill me?" Artemesia asked. Lady Van Tassel smirked at her.

" Oh, my dear girl. _You_ saw me sneak out of the house numerous times and saw me with Steenwyck that one night in the woods. You know _everything_ I just told you and you know everything that Constable Crane knows. He's too scared to come out with the information. But _you_… _you_ wouldn't be afraid to reveal it to the world now would you?" Lady Van Tassel said patting Artemesia's head. Young Masbeth grabbed a large mallet and began to sneak closer to Lady Van Tassel.

" Oh, and my sister. Sadly she passed away. _Very_ recently." She said with a smirk.

" You killed your own sister!" Artemesia explained.

" She brought it on herself." She was quiet for a moment before spinning to face Young Masbeth. " By helping you and your master!" She shouted at Young Masbeth. He jumped and dropped the mallet as Artemesia and Katrina quickly stood. The three ran towards the stone steps. " You're just in time to have your head cut off!" They fled down the steps. " Tonight the Horseman comes! And he comes for you!"

As they exited the windmill Ichabod had just arrived.

" Artemesia! Young Masbeth!" Ichabod called jumping from the drivers spot. They ran over and Artemesia quickly hugged Ichabod. " Thank God!" Ichabod said. The moment of relief was soon over with the sound of the Horseman approaching. Lady Van Tassel stood by the door of the windmill. The Horseman emerged from the mist and Ichabod, Katrina, Young Masbeth, and Artemesia ran inside the windmill. Lady Van Tassel hid the Horseman's skull behind her back as they ran inside.

" Watch your head." She joked. When they were inside they slammed the doors shut and Ichabod slid a shoved through the handles to prevent anyone from opening them. They started to pile bags of old wheat grain on top of the doors but they started to shake as the Horseman tried to open them. Ichabod quickly looked around then pointed upward.

" Quick! To the roof! I have an idea!" He said. Young Masbeth began to climb the stairs first, then Katrina, and then Artemesia. Ichabod pulled a lever that started the machinery that made the windmill work. As it groaned and creaked into movement the Horseman slid his sword through the crack between the two doors and cut the handle on the shovel. Ichabod's face paled and his dark brown eyes widened and started to run up the steps.

The Horseman emerged and entered the windmill. He grabbed a length of rope. He tossed a looped end tossed it so it caught on one of the spikes on one of giant turning gears. He held on and he was carried upward. He jumped onto a landing that allowed him to jump onto the staircase behind Ichabod. He swung his sword and barely missed Ichabod's head as he ducked.

Ichabod began to follow Artemesia up the ladder to the roof. The Horseman kept hacking at the rungs on the ladder with his axe. Ichabod pulled himself onto a landing when the ladder fell away. He followed Katrina, Young Masbeth and Artemesia onto the roof. Ichabod took a lantern that was there and dropped it back into the windmill. When it broke on the ground the flames began to devour the wood in the windmill.

" Jump for the sails!" Ichabod said gesturing to the turning pieces on the front of the windmill. Young Masbeth jumped and grabbed a rope that was dangling off one. Katrina climbed onto the same one that Young Masbeth clung to. Flames erupted in the windmill and the whole thing began to catch on fire. Artemesia jumped and caught herself on another sail and Ichabod jumped, barely grabbing onto the same one Artemesia was on. As they got close to the ground the fire erupted more.

" Jump!" Ichabod ordered. Young Masbeth jumped and landed on his backside, Katrina jumped and landed on her knees, Artemesia jumped and almost landed on her feet then tumbled onto her stomach. Ichabod jumped and fell face flat into the ground. Quickly Ichabod stood and pulled Artemesia up, taking her hand.

" Run!" He yelled as they all stood and ran back towards the carriage. As they ran the whole windmill exploded and when they reached the carriage, they turned and looked at the flaming pieces of wood falling to the ground. The Horseman had still been inside.

" Is he dead?" Young Masbeth asked.

" That's the problem. He was dead to begin with." Ichabod said.

_Afterword: __Thanks for reading! Again it was one of my favorite chapters to write! I added in that Ichabod had a few sketches of Artemesia because I thought it would be sweet =D_

_ I would love reviews and the next chapter will be up soon! _


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own the movie Sleepy Hollow or the original story of the Headless Horseman_

_**Foreword:**__** This is the LAST CHAPTER for this particular fanfiction! Don't worry! I have a surprise at the very end in the Afterword! =D **_

Chapter Nine

There was a crack and a snap as the Horseman came out of the fiery remains of the windmill. He shoved the flaming boards away from the door entrance and began to walk. Ichabod, Artemesia and Young Masbeth sat up on the drivers seat while Katrina got inside the carriage. Ichabod urged the horses forward and they took off.

The Horseman walked to his waiting horse and mounted it. He turned the horse in the right direction and went to follow the carriage. As Ichabod turned the horses into the forest, Young Masbeth looked at him.

" Where are we going?" He asked.

" Anywhere but here!" Ichabod responded. Artemesia looked behind them to see the Horseman. Her eyes widened as he unsheathed his sword and held it high.

" Here. Take the reins." Ichabod handed the reins to Artemesia and he grabbed Young Masbeth's rifle. Ichabod climbed on top of the carriage so he way kneeling on the roof. He aimed the rifle but after a flash of mist, the Horseman wasn't on his horse anymore. Ichabod stared in confusion. Suddenly the Horseman's hand was on the roof of the carriage. As the Horseman started to pull himself up, Ichabod shot him in the chest and the Horseman fell. Ichabod stared in shock and Artemesia glanced back at him for a moment. He stood shakily and looked down.

Artemesia looked up and saw a branch that was at the right height to smack into Ichabod.

" Ichabod!" She called. Ichabod didn't have time to turn and was knocked off the top of the carriage and onto the Horseman's horse. He looked up and gripped the back of the saddle. The Horseman wasn't on the ground. Ichabod sat up and turned around to see the Horseman gripping to the back of the carriage, being dragged across the ground. Ichabod turned to sit properly on the saddle and urged the horse faster. When he was almost neck in severed neck with the Horseman he leapt onto him.

Ichabod used the Horseman's back to stand on while trying to get back onto the carriage. He lost his footing and collapsed, casing the Horseman to let go. Ichabod gripped on to where the Horseman had been gripping onto and was being dragged across the ground. The Horseman gripped the stirrup and was being dragged along as well. The horse and the Horseman began to pass Ichabod and the carriage.

Ichabod managed to pull himself up onto the top of the carriage again and looked got on his stomach to lean down and look inside the carriage. A frightened Katrina was the only one inside. He heard someone unsheathe a sword. He looked up and moved his head just in time as the Horseman's sword smashed into the spot where his head had been. Ichabod let out a yell of surprise as he scrambled out from underneath the Horseman. He called to Young Masbeth,

" My bag!" Young Masbeth hurriedly handed it to him and Ichabod used it to block the Horseman's blow. When the Horseman tried to raise his sword again, Ichabod slammed his bag into his chest and he fell back. Ichabod stood but was shocked when the Horseman leapt up and grabbed him then slammed him down on the top of the carriage. Artemesia urged the horses faster.

The Horseman gripped Ichabod's neck and began to strangle him. He managed to choke out the order,

" Jump!" To Young Masbeth and Artemesia. They jumped onto the two horses that moved the carriage. Ichabod dodged the Horseman's fist as he tried to punch him. The Horseman yanked him up again. As the horses jumped over a log the carriage bounced and made Ichabod fall. His back hit the driver's seat and he stared up in shock as he saw the Horseman raise his sword. He sliced down but the blade lodged its self in the seat right between Ichabod's legs. Ichabod slowly rolled so he was sitting in the seat.

He somehow managed to open the door of the carriage and pull Katrina out.

" Jump onto a horse!" He yelled over the sound of thunder. Katrina jumped and landed right behind Young Masbeth. Ichabod stomped his foot hard to break the axel that connected the horses to the carriage. He grabbed onto it as he fell and let himself be dragged along behind the horses.

The Horseman still had his sword raised as the carriage crashed and he flew off and the carriage landed directly on top of him. Ichabod panted as he continued to hold on in the now almost silence of the forest. The Horseman stood and threw the debris off of himself.

As they arrived at the Tree of the Dead, Ichabod released what he was holding onto and lay there for a moment as the horses stopped. He stood up and quickly walked with the others towards the tree.

Lady Van Tassel rode up on her horse. Her hair was loose and messy. They all froze when they saw her.

" Run Katrina, Artemesia!" Ichabod said. The two started to run off.

" Yes! Do run! And jump, and skip!" Lady Van Tassel said with glee as she lifted and pointed a pistol at the two women. Ichabod stepped forward to stop her. She re-aimed the pistol. She pointed it at Ichabod and pulled the trigger. With a loud bang the bullet left the pistol and hit Ichabod. With a grunt of pain Ichabod fell to the ground.

" NO!" Young Masbeth shouted as he ran over to the fallen Ichabod. Artemesia and Katrina froze as they heard the gunshot. Artemesia spun and with tears in her eyes she bolted back towards Ichabod. Katrina ran after her.

The Horseman was walking towards them, emerging from the forest as lightning continued to flash and thunder growled. Before Artemesia could get to Ichabod, Lady Van Tassel grabbed her by the hair and did the same with Katrina in her other hand.

" Here!" She called. " Take them! They're yours!" The Horseman's pace quickened in the slightest as he neared them.

Young Masbeth knelt by Ichabod and looked at the shocked looking man.

" Sir! You're not dead!" Young Masbeth said with joy. Ichabod touched his chest before quickly sitting up. He saw a velvet bag hanging off the saddle of lady Van Tassel's horse. He leapt up and jumped at Lady Van Tassel. He knocked her off the horse, making her let go of both of the women's hair. Katrina stumbled over towards Young Masbeth and Artemesia fell to the forest floor.

Both Lady Van Tassel and Ichabod were on the ground and they noticed the Horseman's skull laying on the ground. Ichabod stood and started to clamber for it but Lady Van Tassel yanked him down by the ankle. The Horseman was marching towards Artemesia with a fixed pace. Young Masbeth pulled up a large branch and tried to hold it up.

Ichabod scrambled for the skull and reached out for it as Lady Van Tassel gripped him by the hair and pulled him back. He let out a strangled cry. Young Masbeth and Katrina lifted the large branch and knocked it against Lady Van Tassel's head. She fell unconscious and released Ichabod.

The Horseman gripped Artemesia by the arm and yanked her up. She let out a gasp of pain as her roughly gripped her hair and yanked her head back to expose her throat. Ichabod looked at her and scrambled even more to grab the skull. Artemesia's eyes widened in fear as the Horseman raised his sword and spun it with a flourish. Ichabod grabbed the skull and stood just as the Horseman swung his blade down.

" Horseman!" Ichabod called. The Horseman stopped his blade just as it had touched Artemesia's throat. He moved the blade and shoved Artemesia to the ground.

Ichabod threw the skull at the Horseman. The Horseman caught it in his gloved hand. Artemesia was panting on the ground and she and Ichabod watched as the Horseman put the skull back where it should be. The jaw began to move as it became reattached. Slowly muscles and veins began to cover the skull. The teeth grew to sharpened points and the Horseman gripped his throat as if he felt pain. As more and more muscles, veins and eventually hair and cartilage began to grow on the skull, Artemesia and Ichabod glanced at each other again. The Horseman thrashed about. He made gargling and strangled noises as his tongue and eyes came back.

Ichabod quickly walked towards Artemesia. Artemesia swiftly stood ran when she was close enough she flung her arms around his neck. Ichabod wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her hair. She grinned and put a hand on his hair. When they pulled back Artemesia gave him a questioning look. He opened the side of his coat to reveal that the book Katrina had given him had stopped the bullet. She smiled at him and he smiled back as he took her hands.

They heard a more growling type sound come from the Horseman. Young Masbeth and Katrina ran to join Ichabod and Artemesia. Young Masbeth stood close to Artemesia's side.

The Horseman looked up. He had regained his head. He had deathly pale skin with unnaturally ice blue eyes, sharpened teeth that almost resembled those of a sharks, and his hair was thick, black and messy. He slowly turned to look at the group of four. As he made eye contact with all of them lightning flashed. He began to walk towards them. Artemesia stood in front of Ichabod and he took her shoulder.

The Hessian's horse came galloping through the forest towards his rider. The Horseman turned his head and looked at his horse. He walked over to it then he stroked its face. He climbed on and gripped the reins.

" YAHHH!" The Horseman shouted and urged the horse forward. He sped past the small group and Ichabod held Artemesia away so she didn't get trampled. The Horseman rode over to the unconscious Lady Van Tassel and stopped just by her. He looked down at her for a second before he recognized her. He reached down and yanked her onto the horse so she was leaning back into his chest.

" YAHHH!" He shouted again as he took the horse to the edge of the clearing. Ichabod held Artemesia close and rested his hand on the curve of her neck. They heard wood creaking and cracking and they looked at the Tree of the Dead. Young Masbeth pointed to where the opening of the tree usually was. The roots were slowly pulling back to let the Horseman come back.

Lady Van Tassel slowly came too and rubbed the back of her aching head. She looked around a bit confused and she looked up behind her to find the Horseman smiling at her. Her eyes went wide with shock as she stared at him. She opened her mouth as she gasped in horror and started to scream. The Horseman quickly leaned down over her and kissed her. She screamed and flailed her arms.

Ichabod blanched and let Artemesia hide her face in his chest. Blood began to gush from between their mouths as his sharpened teeth cut her skin. When he pulled back he grinned a horrible, bloody, toothy grin and Lady Van Tassel was slumped against him in shock.

" YAHHH!" He shouted and spurred his horse to its fastest speed. He ran straight towards the tree and leapt through the air, past Katrina, Young Masbeth, Artemesia and Ichabod and into the tree, sending a splash of blood behind him and Lady Van Tassel. After he disappeared into the tree, the forest was almost silent.

They all looked at the tangled roots at the front of the tree. Lady Van Tassel's hand was sticking through the roots, and the way her fingers were curled, was like she was beckoning to come towards the tree.

Ichabod had his hands folded in front of him as he stared at the hand. His eyes then rolled into the back of his head and fell straight from standing to flat on his back. Artemesia gasped and went to kneel by him. She lovingly stroked his face and tried to make him wake up. Young Masbeth knelt on his other side of Ichabod and looked at him.

" He does that a lot, doesn't he?" Young Masbeth asked. Artemesia laughed a bit with a smile.

" Yes. He does." Artemesia said as she brushed a stray lock of hair from Ichabod's pale face. " We should get him back to the Manor." Artemesia said as she and Young Masbeth lifted him.

" It's over." Young Masbeth said with a smile to Artemesia. " It's finally over."

OOOO

Ichabod way laying on top of the quilt in his room back at the Van Tassel Manor. His coat was hanging on the corner of the headboard and his boots were left on. His eyes slowly opened to find that he was staring at the ceiling. He looked at his bedside and saw Artemesia sitting at the side of his bed. She smiled at him when she saw his beautiful dark brown eyes open.

" How do you feel?" She asked. He sat up and rubbed a spot on his back where he was fairly sure that landed on a stick of some sorts. Or maybe it had been a rock. Either way, the spot hurt.

" I feel surprisingly good. No bad dreams. My back hurts a bit, but I think I'll be okay." He said with a smile. She smiled back and brushed her hair from her face. Her hair had been brushed out and had begun to curl again. She was still wearing the dress he had worn in the forest- a pale peach colored dress with a slightly low neckline and the sleeves ended just below her elbows. He noticed a few tears on the dress and he also saw a bit of red on her neck.

" Did he hurt you?" He asked. Artemesia raised her eyebrows in confusion for a moment.

" Oh! The Headless Horseman? If you hadn't given him his skull back, I'd be a headless corpse on my way to the graveyard by now. The sword did cut my skin a bit, but not deep." She said stretching her neck out a bit touching a thin red cut on the front of her throat. It was already healing.

" At least it isn't deep." Ichabod said taking her hand. She smiled at him.

" Thank you for saving my life, Ichabod." She said.

" It was my honor to save your life, Artemesia." Ichabod said bowing his head for a moment before swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. Artemesia took Ichabod's coat and poked her finger through the bullet hole in it. She laughed quietly and ran her fingers over the stitching she had done to fix the hole that the Horseman's sword had cut through.

" You'll have to stop getting almost killed because I won't be around to fix your coat for you." She said holding out the coat to him. He chuckled and took it.

" So do you think you'll continue to work here in the Manor now that all of this is over?" Ichabod asked curiously. Artemesia shook her head.

" I wouldn't even if I had the choice. Katrina said she'd prefer if I leave the Manor. I have decided it would be the best." Artemesia said looking out the window.

" Then what will you do?" Ichabod asked with concern.

" I guess I'll find a job and earn enough money to buy my own house. I'd also love to be able to care for Young Masbeth, seeing as he has no one to care for him." She said looking at him.

" Well, if I may make this offer, I would be honored if you and Young Masbeth would accompany me back to New York. You may stay in my home; I have extra rooms that you two could stay in. Maybe you could find a job in the city. Perhaps in a book shop?" Ichabod asked. After a quiet moment Artemesia flung her arms around him in an extremely tight hug.

" Ichabod, please tell me you're serious." Artemesia said.

" I am." He replied. She grinned and pulled back. She nodded.

" I'd love to." She said. He smiled at her. After a brief second of silence, Artemesia gently took his face in her hands. He looked at her slightly confused. She leaned in and gently kissed him. He was surprised to say the least bit. His eyes were wide as she kissed him. He was frozen. He had felt her lips on his cheeks twice, but he'd never think he'd feel her lips in this way.

Artemesia slowly pulled back and still had her eyes shut. She let her hands dropped. She opened her eyes and looked at him. The surprised look was still on his face.

" I-I'm sorry. It just happens to be I forget my place when I'm around you." She said with a small smile. He finally smiled back and took her hands.

" You don't have a place anymore, Artemesia. You no longer are a maid. You don't have to worry whether or not you can voice your opinions. You are no longer confined by certain rules. You are free." Ichabod said. Her eyes watered slightly and she smiled. She nodded.

" You're right, Ichabod." She said happily. Ichabod looked into her beautiful blue eyes and grinned at her. He realized he no longer had that nagging feeling that he had in the back of his mind that day in the Western Woods. He now realized that Artemesia was the one who had been nagging at the back of his mind while Katrina had been about to kiss him. He knew that she was always the one to save him from his probable death. She was always there when he needed someone in his time in Sleepy Hollow.

Ichabod gently brushed a strand of hair from her face and then put his hand on her cheek. He slowly and carefully leaned in towards her and gently pressed his lips against hers. Artemesia leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Ichabod felt his head start to spin. He had never kissed anyone before. He wasn't sure if Artemesia ever had, and he didn't really care. He felt lightheaded. But it was a _good_ kind of lightheaded. Not like the kind of lightheaded he got when he was about to faint. However, he had only ever fainted in fear before. Was it possible to faint from happiness? If it was, then he would definitely faint at some point soon.

Artemesia herself had never kissed anyone. As she wrapped her arms around him she knew she hadn't ever been happier in her life. She felt lightheaded as well from the lack of air they were receiving seeing as they were too absorbed in each other to breath much.

" Um… Pardon my intrusion." Young Masbeth's voice came from the doorway. Both Ichabod and Artemesia jumped and pulled away from each other. They looked at the boy standing in the doorway. He was trying to suppress a smile but wasn't able to. He smiled at the two of them.

" Young Masbeth. I have offered Artemesia to join me in New York. I would like to offer you the same thing. You would stay in my home and you would be able to do what you wish." Ichabod offered. Young Masbeth grinned.

" I would love to, Sir!" He said with joy.

" I'll gather my things and we can leave." Artemesia said with smile. She walked past Young Masbeth to go to her room. Young Masbeth was still smiling.

" So, was there anything you needed to tell me?" Ichabod asked.

" Pardon?" Young Masbeth asked with slight confusion.

" You said 'Pardon my intrusion'. Is there a reason you interrupted?" Ichabod asked again.

" Oh! No, it just appeared that you might faint, Sir." Young Masbeth said. Ichabod's cheeks stained with a bit of pink.

" Ah. I suppose that it wouldn't be a good thing if I fainted." He said quietly.

" No, Sir, I don't think it would." Young Masbeth said with another smile. " But, is there anything I can help you with?"

" No, Young Masbeth. If there is anything you require to get, I shall be happy to get it for you." Ichabod offered.

" I think some clothes may be in order?" Artemesia said returning with a small bag in one hand and she held something behind her back. " I have something of yours Ichabod." She held out the black book he had dropped into the fire. The cover was mostly burned and the pages were yellowed and burned from the heat. " I saved it before it completely burned. I fear some of the first few pages were burned." She held it out to him with a small smile. " I didn't know you could draw."

Ichabod blushed a little more as he took the book and put it in the one remaining bag he had after he had lost the other one in the fight with the Horseman.

" And I believe some new clothes would be in order." Ichabod answered Artemesia's first question. Young Masbeth smiled. They all made their way down the stairs and Artemesia took a few final looks at the Manor- the place she had lived in since she was fifteen. She said a final farewell to the house as she an Ichabod and Young Masbeth made their way down the road towards town. She saw Katrina watch them leave from a window before she turned and disappeared into the house.

As they made their way through the down they looked around. The only real damage done to the town by the Horseman was in the church. The town was still recovering from all the deaths that happened.

" I would like to see the town as you two saw it when you were growing up. I'd love to see Sleepy Hollow when there isn't a Headless Horseman running around." Ichabod admitted.

" It really is a lovely town when supernatural demons aren't running through it." Artemesia said.

" _However_ I think I've had enough of this town for now." Ichabod said. Young Masbeth and Artemesia laughed.

" Yes. You probably have." Young Masbeth laughed. Ichabod smiled and the boy and drew him to his side and put a hand on his shoulder. He could tell his life was getting better already.

OOOO

The three of them were sitting in the carriage together. Artemesia sat beside Ichabod and Young Masbeth sat in front of her. They had been riding in the carriage for about three hours. For the past thirty minutes all of them had been thinking quietly about what had gone on with the Horseman. Ichabod looked out the window to the trees they passed. He admired the beauty of the orange and yellow leaves that fell down and slowly danced in the air.

He thought of the terror he felt every time he saw the Horseman. How much he felt the terror grow when the Horseman nearly killed Artemesia. He looked over to her and found her asleep with her head resting against the window of the carriage. Young Masbeth was curled up asleep on the seat across from them. Ichabod smiled at them and looked back out his window. He knew they were close to the city. He shut his eyes to get some rest. He had spent most of the carriage ride telling his two companions about New York. Artemesia knew a little bit about New York from her short trips there, but was always fascinated to learn more.

Ichabod had only meant to shut his eyes for a few minutes. But when he felt a pair of soft lips press against his cheek, he opened his eyes and smiled at Artemesia who smiled back. He looked out the window and grinned at Artemesia and Young Masbeth.

" Ah, just in time for a new century." Ichabod said stepping out of the carriage and taking Artemesia's hand and helping her step out.

She wore a beautiful blue and white-stripped dress in a similar style to the ones that Katrina wore- elegant. But it definitely had an Artemesia look to it. It didn't have many under skirts to make it more comfortable to move in and she kept her hair down so it curled and waved. Ichabod thought she looked beautiful. She took her bag and smiled at him. He smiled back. She looked up at all the buildings and the unusual beginning of an early snowfall that would probably melt by the next morning.

Young Masbeth wore a black jacket with a nice white shirt, dark brown vest, mahogany colored pants and nice black shoes. He stared up at the buildings in wonder and at the masses of people moving down the street. He was carrying a few bags, not minding the weight. He was glad to have a home, and if he had to carry Ichabod all the way there, he would. He seemed a bit worried about the size of the city. Ichabod noticed the look and pat his shoulder.

" You'll soon find your bearings, Young Masbeth. The Bronx is up, the Battery is down, and home is this way." Ichabod said with a grin and Artemesia grinned and took his arm. Young Masbeth walked along side the two with a look of wonder on his face.

Ichabod happily lead the two of them down the street and was looking forward to getting home, and to finally live his life.

_Afterword: __My God! I __**already**__ finished! It kind of scares me! I guess I had all the proper motivation and such to get this done! I enjoyed writing this so much that I decided shortly after writing Chapter Two that I am going to… wait for it…__** A SEQUEL!**__ =D Yup! I'm going to be writing a sequel to this story! Now that I've finished with this last chapter I'll happily start writing the first chapter of the sequel! I'll also be working on my Titanic fanfiction, Sucked Onto The Titanic._

_ I really look forward to getting the sequel going! I'd love reviews as usual and I'll post something saying when the first chapter of the sequel is up! Thanks for reading!_


End file.
